alias Purple Shamrock and in botanical terms… Oxalis Triangularis. 
This plant is growing in a window that I happened to pass by today. When I looked into the room the plant appeared bright red. I couldn’t resist taking a closer look. 
I was amazed not only at the plants beauty and unusual color but also at the sunshine beaming though the window. If I squinted and tilted my head it looked like a sunny spring day outside.
I was wrong. 
The leaves of the shamrock appear dark purple but on the underside, with the sun shining through, they were red. So pretty and bright. 
As I admired it glowing on the window sill I thought it would be so nice if there were flowers blooming on it too, and to my surprise there were. 
The flowers are the lightest shade of purple, delicate and so welcome to my cold weather weary eyes. 
These plants grow well indoors in containers in bright light and cool temperatures. They like their soil moist but not wet. Oxalis are also hardy in zones six through ten. They like light shade and well drained soil.
So there you have it, The Love Plant or The Shamrock, either way a great pick me up to admire on a cold wintry day.
~Plants give us oxygen for the lungs and for the soul. ~Linda Solegato
February 5th, 2010 Teresa Posted in Fertilizer Friday, Uncategorized
Tags: Fertilizer Friday, garden shoes online, houseplant, love plant, oxalis, purple shamrock, shamrock plant, tootsie time
Teresa Soule is a veteran gardener who maintains a beautiful garden in Upstate New York and is a Garden Shoes Online staff member.
February 5th, 2010 at: 2:03 am
o how lovely when you put words on them. I did not know it is also called love plant. It is a very common plant here with us. It really is true that someones trash is somebodys treasure! Your words and photos made them more significant. I specially like the macro flower shot. Now i will have a second look at them again whenever i see one, and will try to double your shot. thanks. For more vivid colors to prick you up, please browse on my orchids, i promise you will forget the blues and violets, for awhile.
February 5th, 2010 at: 1:03 pm
These are beautiful and the shamrocks look like little butterflies!
February 5th, 2010 at: 3:28 pm
It’s very pretty…I love how the they look so red with the sun on them! I had some over the summer that I grew from bulbs. They are in a pot outside, and I will wait to see if I get surprised later in the summer with blooms…who knows? It’s supposed to overwinter in my zone 7.
February 5th, 2010 at: 3:38 pm
great pictures teresa!
February 5th, 2010 at: 7:49 pm
I have this plant growing in my lady garden. I love it! Your photos were amazing with the light shining through the leaves.
February 6th, 2010 at: 2:48 am
those are so pretty!!!! I haven’t seen one like them before…only in green!
thanks for sharing. I think I’ll be keeping my eyes open for one!
have a great weekend…thanks for linking in today…I also wanted to say…your pink flowers for pink saturday is great !