Oxalis versicolor

9/8/2019

Oxalis versicolor and its forms.
That dreaded word in gardening circles, “OXALIS”, If you are going to fall in love with a weed, take care they become a disease like Orchiditis.
I got the disease years ago when i was about 12. Fell in love with one of the worst ones, Oxalis pes-caprae, the dreaded yellow one. It grew from there, and now i have about 50-60 species and forms, all grown in pots and trays. If you put them in the ground leave them there.
This blog is about one species.

If you are going to fall in love with Oxalis . This is the species to do it.
Oxalis versicolor, Candycane sorrel, Peppermint Stick, Barbers Pole, its common names. we have 3 forms here in NZ, and a 4th pretending to be. The last one is rather rare, I only know of one lot.

No1. The first form, not quite common is Oxalis versicolor, typical. This has a white flower with a narrow red edge to it. Quite fast to bulk up and makes a good clump in 4-5 years.

No2. this form is rare in NZ, Oxalis versicolor “BC” (Brian Casey). Found in this Guys garden, His mother had been growing for years. A white flower with a wide red edge , almost covering the white.
A plant that really stands out. makes a nice clump in 4-5 years.

No3. this form is so rare, but slowly being bulked up. Oxalis versicolor “Multi-petaled”. Hard to describe. A plant to drool over, a flower to make even the confirmed Oxalis haters, go into orgasmic throws :)
The buds are quite plump with a widest red band, opening up slowly, a ring of white petals then smaller petals and a bunch up in the middle, all showing the red stripe. the photos do not do it justice.
And the pretender is Oxalis tenuifolia, very rare in NZ. White with a reddish/purple edge.
Photos below.