Here’s another close up of a plant I mentioned in the post about my roof garden’s back wall, Oxalis squamata.
Oh how I love this plant. Even more-so than I thought I would. The flowers sort of remind me of the Oxalis corymbosa I saw in Dominica and St. Lucia, but smaller. The leaves are smaller, too and cuter still.
The growing requirements are certainly different. Oxalis squamata is native to the Andes Mountains in Chile. It grows among rocks and scree and therefore requires very good drainage. Despite that it also seems to need water every day or so, but that could just be the size of the pot and conditions on my roof.
I’m not sure what I’m going to do with it come winter. I’ve read that the plant can survive outdoors in my zone if the soil is extremely free draining and it is protected from excess moisture. Neither of these are conditions I can provide in-ground so I’ll have to wait and see what I can do when the time comes.
Such delicate, fleshy little leaves! nice.
I don’t know what it is, but I can’t get enough oxalis these days myself. And there’s such a variety of leaf and flower forms. If only I could keep them growing inside in the winter. It might be a lost cause, though.
Those are pretty flowers!!
Gorgeous! Where do you find exotic plants like this? Maybe I’m not looking in the right places, but I seem to encounter the same several types over and over.
Did you grow this from seed? I’ve never seen anything like it.
Ellie & Melanie: I bought this one as a plant from Wrightman’s Alpines.
I’ve never ordered from them, but the place to get really interesting oxalis is Telos Rare Bulbs.
Gayla thanks I will definitely check these places out.