Two years ago, I was given a lovely ‘shamrock plant’. With its dark purple leaves and violet flowers, I was intrigued. In doing research, I learned quite a bit about shamrocks. Join me now in learning all about shamrock plants.
Background
Shamrock comes from the Irish word Seamróg which means ‘little clover’ and generally refers to white clover (Trifolium repens). Contrary to what I believed; a shamrock is a three-leaf clover. Its Genus name, Trifolium, means having three leaves. Saint Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint, used the shamrock as a visual to symbolize the Holy Trinity, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
A four-leaf clover is just a mutation of clover that has four leaves and is exceedingly rare. Out of 10,000 plants, there may be one with four leaves. Thus, finding a four-leaf clover is considered lucky.
Trifolium vs. Oxalis
Around St. Patrick’s Day, you may begin to see ‘shamrock’ plants being sold by florists and in supermarkets. How are these related to the original ‘little clover’ shamrock? Well, in fact, they are not related. Houseplants advertised as shamrocks in supermarkets are members of the Oxalis genus of plants. Oxalis resembles clover because it has three triangular-shaped leaves (like clover). Now, let’s take a closer look at the two Genera Trifolium and Oxalis shamrock plants.
Trifolium
The Trifolium genus is the genus of clover. As mentioned earlier, clover is the plant that was originally referred to as a shamrock and made famous by Saint Patrick. Plants in this genus generally grow outdoors and include soil-improving cover crops (white, red, and yellow clover) and the common garden weed white clover. Clovers are known for their ability to affix nitrogen and improve the soil.
In addition, white clover is added to many lawn seed mixes because of its ability to add green cover in areas where turfgrass is hard to grow. While some homeowners don’t like the patchy appearance of clover in their lawns, others don’t mind.
Oxalis
The plants that appear in the florist shops and supermarkets around St. Patrick’s Day are plants in the wood-sorrel family Oxalidaceae. These ‘shamrock’ plants are better suited to being treated as houseplants.
There are two popular species sold as houseplants: Oxalis regnellii and Oxalis triangularis. Oxalis species have an interesting process where their leaves and flowers close at night and then open again in bright light. This process is called photophilic which means the plant responds to light by either folding up (low light) or opening (full light).
Oxalis regnellii is also known as ‘lucky shamrock’. It grows from a tuber and will reach a height of 6-8 inches. It has groups of three leaves that are generally green and has lovely white flowers.
Oxalis triangularis is the ‘purple leaf shamrock’. Such a pretty indoor plant that is low growing with clusters of lilac-colored flowers and clusters of three leaves.
Care of Oxalis Houseplants
Both varieties like being in a bright sunny window with daytime temperatures around 75 degrees. Keep the soil moist, but not wet. Plants within the Oxalis genus contain oxalic acid and ingesting large quantities can be dangerous to pets.
Furthermore, it’s common for these plants to have a dormancy period. It may look like the plant is dying, when in fact it simply needs a period of rest called dormancy. When this happens, stop watering, and let the leaves dry out. Place in a cool dark area for 1-3 months until new growth emerges. When new growth appears, begin to water and place in a bright sunny area.
Now that you know more about shamrock plants, the following posts may interest you.
- How to care for indoor houseplants
- The complete guide to caring for African violets
- Five great indoor plants to give as a gift
- 7 simple styling tips for indoor houseplants
- Growing and caring for ferns as a house plant, the complete guide
- The jade plant – undemanding and easy to grow
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