Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

Plant Identification => Plant Identification Questions and Answers => Topic started by: Ray on May 22, 2011, 10:59:36 AM

Title: Oxalis ID
Post by: Ray on May 22, 2011, 10:59:36 AM

A couple of Oxalis that I would like a name for thanks bye Ray

Title: Re: Oxalis ID
Post by: Ezeiza on May 22, 2011, 03:16:14 PM

A SUPER yellow form of Oxalis purpurea

Oxalis polyphylla (can be "ssp. heptaphylla")

Title: Re: Oxalis ID
Post by: Lesley Cox on May 22, 2011, 10:39:20 PM

The first looks very like what I have as the South African luteola and I have the second as polyphylla v. pentaphylla.

Title: Re: Oxalis ID
Post by: Ray on May 23, 2011, 04:05:49 AM

Thanks Alberto & Lesley for your replies.
I remember buying a plant O luteola many years ago.
How do you tell the difference between luteola and purpurea?
Thanks bye Ray

Title: Re: Oxalis ID
Post by: Lesley Cox on May 23, 2011, 06:35:43 AM

I've never seen a yellow purpurea so the question hasn't arisen for me. The leaves are a slightly different shape and in luteola they are bright, Granny Smith apple green whereas in purpurea, the white and pink anyway, they have a more downy look and are a little larger. The flowers are larger too. There is an attractive form of luteola called var. maculata which is heavily blotched with a beetroot red colour in the leaves.

A friend, no longer alive, always managed to have luteola, the white purpurea and massoniana in flower at the same time in her garden, the three growing together and the colours looked amazing in a patch. My massoniana is just about over when the other two start.

Title: Re: Oxalis ID
Post by: Ray on May 23, 2011, 08:44:31 AM

Hi Lesley,Bill has a pic on the PBS site of O purpurea lutea,but looking at the pics I can't tell the difference.
If your nice to him maybe he will give you some bulbs. :).bye Ray