Oxalis tetraphylla
| Oxalis tetraphylla | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 8 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 0.3' |
| Width: | 1' |
| Blooms: | Late Spring-Early Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Oxalis tetraphylla
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in late spring or early summer.
Division in spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.
Cultivation: A very easily grown plant, preferring a sandy soil in a warm dry position[1]. Our plants have proved to be very tolerant of neglect, succeeding for a number of years even in the dense growth of grass weeds[K].
This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c[2].
Closely related to O. deppei, which is included in this species by many botanists[2].
Range: Southern N. America - Mexico. Naturalized in Britain.
Habitat: A weed of cultivated soil in Jersey[3].
Edibility: Leaves - raw or cooked[4]. Use in moderation, see notes at top of sheet,
Root - cooked. Starchy but of poor quality[5][4].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: The leaves contain oxalic acid, which gives them their sharp flavour. Perfectly all right in small quantities, the leaves should not be eaten in large amounts since oxalic acid can bind up the body's supply of calcium leading to nutritional deficiency. Th
Links
References
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.