Image - Wikimedia / Maja Dumat from Deutschland (Germany)
This is a plant that, normally, we would not recommend putting in the garden. Why? Well, it is a clover, and these herbaceous plants grow very fast, invading the entire garden in a matter of no time. However, the butterfly plant or purple clover is a bit different. Unlike most Oxalis, our protagonist is really pretty.
Its purple leaves will decorate your patio in a spectacular way. Find out how to take care of your plant.
Origin and characteristics of the butterfly plant
Image - Wikimedia / me
This precious clover, whose scientific name is oxalis triangular, is native to South America. It has leaves divided into three triangular-shaped purple leaflets with a pink center, and its small pink flowers are composed of 5 petals. Being a clover, its growth is very fast, so it is highly recommended to plant it in a pot and not in the garden, since otherwise we would end up with a beautiful field full of purple flakes. Its size is ideal for growing it in a low round pot, as it reaches only 15-20 centimeters, and its roots do not need much substrate to grow.
It must be placed in a sunny exposure, being able to tolerate semi-shade if it has more light than shade. It is thus a plant very adaptable and very grateful that it will develop without problems in any type of soil, preferring those that have good drainage. But let's see better in detail below.
Caring for the oxalis triangular
Image - Wikimedia / Maja Dumat from Deutschland (Germany)
Location
- Body exterior:: the butterfly plant can be had in the garden or patio in full sun. The only thing is that if you are going to put it in the ground, it is preferable that you plant it with the pot since this way you can have it better controlled.
- Interior: indoors it will be fine in a room with plenty of natural light.
Watering the purple clover
So that it survives, you should water it two or three times a week in summer, and once or twice a week the rest of the year, always avoiding waterlogging. It is important that you let the substrate dry completely after watering; Thus, its roots will be aerated and work better, absorbing the water that the leaves need so much to be able to breathe and photosynthesize.
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We do not advise it. The butterfly plant is a clover, and as such its growth rate is very fast. To this must be added the high germination rate of its seeds, because of the ten that fall to the ground it is very likely that they will all germinate; with which, its colonizing potential is high, and if we are not careful we could end up having specimens in many corners of the garden and even in pots.
It would only be advisable to add compost or other organic fertilizer if the soil in the garden was very, very poor in nutrients. For example, in soils severely affected by erosion, or by intensive crops.
Planting or transplanting time
Can be planted in the garden in spring. If you have it in a pot, you can transfer it to a larger one when you see that the roots come out through the drainage holes, or if you see that it has already occupied the entire container.
The butterfly plant resists transplants well, but be careful not to manipulate the roots too much.
Butterfly Plant Multiplication
La oxalis triangular multiplies by seeds in spring, following this step by step:
- First, choose a seedbed: it can be a pot -with holes-, a horticultural seedbed tray, containers of yogurt or milk previously washed and with a hole in the base,… Anything that is waterproof and measures at least 5- 10 centimeters in diameter will do.
- Then, fill the seedbed with universal substrate and water.
- Then, place a maximum of three seeds in each one, and cover them with a thin layer of substrate.
- Finally, put the seedbed outside, in semi-shade, and keep the substrate moist but not waterlogged.
Thus, they will germinate in about five days.
Plagues and diseases
Image - Flickr / Scot Nelson
It is very resistant in general. But in humid environments you have to keep an eye on the snails, since these are animals that love to eat leaves. These are kept at bay with diatomaceous earth for example. Sprinkle a little around the plant, and you will see how they do not come close.
If we talk about diseases, it is vulnerable to Puccinia oxalidis, which we could call the clover rust. It is a fungus that causes the appearance of rounded bumps, as if they were 'dots' of orange color on the leaves (you can see it in the image above). It is treated with fungicide.
Pruning
Don't need it, but you can reduce its size, that is, make it more compact, in spring with the help of previously disinfected scissors. Do it after flowering.
Rusticity
A negative point is that it does not tolerate strong frosts, but that should not worry us: can be had as a houseplant in a very bright room until temperatures rise again.
Anyway, you have to know that holds well up to -5ºC, in a sheltered corner.
Where to buy purple clover?
Image - Wikimedia / Maja Dumat from Deutschland (Germany)
They sell it in nurseries, but you can also get it.
Did you know the oxalis triangular? What do you think?
Is beautiful; In our garden we made exactly that mistake, and now they grow everywhere, the good thing is that they are good food for chickens.
I have purple clover but that fungus attacks it and I don't know what fungicide to use, could you recommend one please, my name is Hector Hurtado
Hello Hector.
You can treat it with a copper-based fungicide, which you will find for sale at any nursery or garden store.
Even if you already have copper powder at home or in the garden, spray / mist the leaves with water and then sprinkle a little copper on top. Of course, for this it is important that the plant is in an area where it does not get direct sun, since otherwise it would burn and the remedy would end up being worse than the disease.
Greetings.
The leaves are already born purple or do they turn purple over time? If it is the latter, do you know how long it takes for them to turn purple?
Hello Raul.
No, they are already born with that color. If they come out green, it is because the species is not that of the butterfly plant 🙂
Greetings.
Linda
Yes it is, yes 🙂
It's beautiful, I have it in a pot it's just growing
Hi Johana.
In pot, not having much space, it remains rather small. You can pass it to a larger one so that it grows a little more if you wish, in spring.
A greeting.
Hello Monica, the truth is that the plant is growing perfectly in the shade, it only receives light but no direct sun since the leaves sometimes burn.
Hi Patricia.
Perhaps in a nursery in your area you will find it; but in online stores.
A greeting.
Hello, how are you! I have been with a little plant since November 2017 which was super beautiful but it happens that a cat threw it out of its place and then I made the mistake of watering it but it ended up getting flooded, now it looks sooo so bedil from yesterday to today Today I have changed it from a pot to one with dry soil and a little bigger but I don't know what I can do to keep it from dying! I would like to know what I can do?
Hi Estela.
At the moment you just have to water it, letting the substrate dry between waterings.
Little by little he will recover.
A greeting.
Anyone know where I can get oxalis triangularis seeds? Thanks
Hello Antuan.
Surely on ebay you will find. In any case, the plant is usually sold in the nurseries for spring-summer and it is not expensive (if I remember correctly I think it cost about 2 euros).
A greeting.
Consultation! 48 hours ago I removed the Oxalis bulb from a pot that it shared with a dollar ... and its leaves still did not open again ... how long should it take until it adapts to the new pot and its petals open again during the day? I'm afraid I've killed her… Thank you!
Hi leandro.
If everything goes well, in a week or two at most it should be replaced 🙂
A greeting.
Hello, I have a clover I passed it to another recipe and it still does not recover, it has not been strengthened, I think I did it wrong. They help me??
Hi Anmel.
We recommend putting it in semi-shade, protected from the sun, and watering it about 2 maximum 3 times a week.
Cheer up.
I have the purple oxalis this beautiful. But inside the middle I got green ones, they are also called oxalis. I have it in a round pot where it gives it semisol. You can add 20/20
Hello Evelyn.
Congratulations on those shoots 🙂
Yes, you can add compost, but follow the instructions that you will find on the package so that there is no risk of overdose.
Greetings.
Good afternoon, I have this plant for several years, but lately, it has a white plague on the bottom and I do not know how to control it. What I do is that I transplanted it and cut the leaves, but this I don't think is right because I will never have a very large one. I have photos if you like
Hello Rachel.
From what you count, it is possible that it has mealybugs. There are many type, but they can all be removed in the same way: water and neutral soap.
If you can, I recommend you get diatomaceous earth. It is a natural product that has the appearance of white powder. It is an effective ecological insecticide that eliminates many common pests.
Greetings.
If I have it at home in a pot, I am fascinated by it is very pretty and now I am seeing that it has the leaves as bites. I will see closely if there are snails, the strange thing is that I have many other plants around it and it is the only one with broken leaves at the tips. I loved the information. Thank you
Hello Angelica.
Sometimes it happens that you have a few plants but only one is affected by a pest.
Check to see if it has snails, or if there are caterpillars. By the way, do you have pets? It may be that a dog or cat nibbles on it.
Greetings.
If I know it, I have one in my house and I wanted to see what the care is, it is just a single plant with a leaf because I took it from a larger silver from my mother, it is beautiful
Hi Juanita.
It is sure to grow fast. If you have any questions, you know where we are 🙂
regards
The plant is beautiful, I just put one in a pot
Hello Ana Maria.
Enjoy your plant. Any questions, here we are 🙂
Greetings.
Thanks, very useful, the royal is driving me crazy, I'll see how I solve it
Hello Ana.
Thank you. You can treat rust with fungicides that contain copper.
Regards!
I have it purple and green, thanks for the advice to have them more beautiful.
Hi Lisbet.
Thank you for stopping by 🙂
Greetings.
I liked the report because it explains the fundamentals and the disease that always appears to me and is impossible for me to remove.
Thank you very much, Aida 🙂
I loved the info, I have one and I didn't know what it was called, it's beautiful!
Yes it is, yes. Thanks for commenting 🙂
The. Separated but he was so sad that I don't know if he can recover
I'm in crisis
Hi carmen.
The roots of this plant are delicate. But we recommend taking care of them as we explain in the article.
Cheer up.
Very good article. My clover is too big, how can I remove part of it to put it in another pot? Thank you
Hello Maria.
Butterfly clover only multiplies by seed. I do not recommend separating them because it is very likely that they will not survive.
A greeting.
Precious plant. thanks for the tips.
Thank you Magaly.