Plant Min Zone: 6a
Plant Max Zone: 11b
Sunlight: Part Sun
Water / Rainfall: Average
Soil Quality: Average, Rich
Bloom Season: Summer, Late Summer
Flower Color: Pink
Berry / Fruit Color: None
Spring Foliage Color: Purple
Summer Foliage Color: Purple
Fall Foliage Color: Purple
Evergreen Foliage: No
Winter Interest: No
Scented Flowers: No
Drought Tolerance: Medium
Wet-Feet Tolerance: Low
Humidity Tolerance: Medium, High
Wind Tolerance: Low
Poor Soil Tolerance: No Extreme Soils
Height: 1.5' - 2.5'
Width: 1' - 1.5'
Growth Rate: Medium
Service Life: Medium: 3-5 years
Maintenance Need: Low
Spreading Potential: Low
Yearly Trimming Tips: Trim Perennial to Ground Around First Fall Freeze: No Winter Interest.
Plant Grouping Size: Specimen Planting of 1-3
Best Side of House: South Exposure
Extreme Planting Locations: None
Ornamental Features: Multiple Seasons of Interest, Exceptional / Colorful Foliage
Special Landscape Uses: None
Possible Pest Problems: Weed Competition, Root Rot Disease
Plant Limitations: May get Occasional Winter-kill, Needs Thick Winter Mulch, Late to Emerge or Leaf Out in Spring
Oxalis triangularis is also commonly called Purple False Shamrock. It is a species of perennial plant native to several countries in southern South America. Grown mostly for its bright purple shamrock-like leaves and occasional pink flowers, the leaves also move in response to light levels, opening in high ambient light (in the day) and closing at low light levels (at night) In Kansas gardens it is normally grown in containers as an annual, patio plant or house plant. If grown in well drained soil planted in the ground in the right micro-climate (South-facing exposure), it may be a perennial. If low temperatures hit -10 degrees F, it may kill an un-mulched plant; protect any zone 6 perennial with thick layer of mulch. In our trial gardens in Lawrence, KS (zone 6a), three established specimens planted 3-4" deep and mulched 4-6" with leaf mulch survived -17 degrees F. During the arctic blast of February, 2021, lows down to -17 degrees F on Feb 16th, 2021 were recorded. The longevity of this cold blast was also impressive: 10 days on a row with highs of 10-15 degrees F or lower, 8 nights of lows in the single digits and negatives, and 36 straight hours of 0 degrees F and mostly lower. More testing would be good to evaluate true cold-tolerance.