The MGS Forum

Plants for mediterranean gardens => Perennials => Topic started by: John J on February 09, 2013, 02:29:28 PM

Title: Oxalis?
Post by: John J on February 09, 2013, 02:29:28 PM
Yesterday my wife was taking our small granddaughter for a walk around our daughter's village when she stopped to admire a plant in one of the gardens. The owner was there and she offered my wife one of the plants in a pot as she had several she said and had spread them around her garden. Obviously the offer was accepted gladly. That, to me, is an example of the true spirit of gardening and gardeners, to be willing to share surplus plants with a total stranger because they exhibit a genuine interest in and admiration of them. That's the sort of spirit that I feel is personified by this Forum.
Incidently, I believe the plant is a variety of Oxalis purpurea, confirmations/corrections gladly accepted.
Title: Re: Oxalis?
Post by: oron peri on February 09, 2013, 03:46:51 PM
Yes It is John,
It is produced by Yoash nurssery in Israel which specialzed in Oxalis breeding.
Your plant is Oxalis 'Neta'

www.yoash.co.il/product2.asp?id=20
 
You can use Google translate in order to see other Oxalis.
Title: Re: Oxalis?
Post by: Alisdair on February 09, 2013, 03:55:36 PM
Very pretty John! These green-leafed forms like 'Grand Duchess' and I assume Oron's 'Neta' are said to be less invasive than the notorious red-leafed form, but even so I'd be a bit cautious about releasing it from its pot.
Title: Re: Oxalis?
Post by: Trevor Australis on February 09, 2013, 11:50:29 PM
Thanks for the link as I will be looking it up. Oxalis are such lovely, hardy things here but the weed potential can be scary. Oxalis pes-caprae carpets huge areas of developed land here where it is known as Sour-sob, but elsewhere is called Bermuda Buttercup - even tho' it comes from Sth Africa. I guess the commom name refers to it being a weed in Bermuda as well as here. O. purpurea is widespread here too, particularly in the long settled German areas where it seems to have been planted in churchyards and cemeteries; there are white, striped and rose pink forms as well as the less frequently seen form with red leaves. We also have other sp. naturalised too inc. one with almost succulent apple green leaves and very large bright pink flowers and we have one that is commonly called 'Iron Cross' as it vaguely resembles the rhizomatous begonia of the same name - green leaves with a prominent red-brown 'cross' formed at the centre by blotches on each petal. One that is much sought after is O. triangularis 'Purpurea' which has large purple-red leaves with a darker central zone. It appears cold sensitive and the bulbs are very loosely scaled rhizomatous structures. We have a few others too, O. massonorum is one favourite. Can any one recommend a good ref. book on the genus? tn
Title: Re: Oxalis?
Post by: John J on February 10, 2013, 05:42:53 AM
Oxalis pes-caprae carpets large areas of Cyprus too, including my garden and especially my 'orchard'. It's impossible to eradicate. I don't think this one is as invasive, Alisdair, but I'll certainly think hard before letting it loose.
Title: Re: Oxalis?
Post by: Trevor Australis on February 10, 2013, 07:56:07 AM
 ;) Oxalis purpurea is certainly a vigorous coloniser here tho' as it lies flat and very close to the ground it doesn't have the smothering impact that O. pes-caprae has. It is probably not practical in an orchard but I have achieved excellent control of O. pes-caprae by spreading wads of broadsheet newspaper over the weeds and topping them with mulch/ compost/ old straw/ lucerne hay. It simply smothers the soursobs and if the cover is maintained for a few years the bulbs exhaust themselves. At the same time it is possible to slash planting gaps through the paper/ mulch combo to insert plants and keep them wateed and fed. Any stray oxalis that peep through the slot can be pulled out or sprayed (carefully) with a glyphosate based weedicide. tn
Title: Re: Oxalis?
Post by: westyboy on February 10, 2013, 12:06:01 PM
John you say how friendly and generous gardner's are. I agree totally but Cyprus is a particularly generous country.

I remember a friend of mine telling me, about when he and his wife were on holiday in Cyprus. They were driving around the countryside and decided to stop at a restaurant for lunch. Having eaten a lovely meal and drunk all the wine they wanted. They went to pay. Only to find that the owner did not want paying. As it was not a restaurant but a private dwelling and the owner was just being hospitable.
I never truely believed his story, until I visited Cyprus and realised how friendly and generous everyone was.

(Sorry for going off topic)

Roy