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Botanical name: Oxalis regnellii ‘Triangularis’
Rich foliage gives a shock of purple color to the garden; covered with dainty little flowers in spring; interesting foliage opens and closes throughout the day; have fun pairing this up with contrasting colors for big impact.
Other names: Purple Wood Sorrel
| Hardiness zone | 8a |
|---|---|
| Flower color | lilac |
| Foliage type | deciduous * |
| Plant form | mounded |
| Mature height | 6 inches (8 inches with the flowers) |
| Spread | 6 inches |
| Light requirements | full sun to partial shade |
| Moisture requirements | dry to moist |
| Plant origin | import |
* deciduous = loses leaves in winter
Purple Shamrock's attractive fan-shaped leaves remain black in color with hints of purple throughout the season. Neither the flowers nor the fruit are ornamentally significant.
Purple Shamrock is a dense herbaceous perennial with a mounded form. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.
This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and may require the occasional pruning to look its best. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Purple Shamrock is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Mass Planting, General Garden Use, Groundcover, Container Planting
Purple Shamrock will grow to be only 6 inches tall at maturity extending to 8 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 6 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 5 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years.
This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.
Purple Shamrock is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a canvas of foliage against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
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