What are the different types of shamrocks?

Their genus name, Trifolium, means “having three leaves”—an appropriate description!
  • White clover is thought to be one of the “true” shamrock plants.
  • The elusive four-leaf clover.
  • False Shamrock (Oxalis regnellii​​)
  • Purple Shamrock (Oxalis triangularis)
  • Lucky Clover (Oxalis tetraphylla)

What is the difference between shamrock and Oxalis?

There really is no such thing as a shamrock plant; shamrock is just a corruption of an Irish word that means ‘little clover” and generally refers to white clover (Trifolium repens). The plants marketed for this holiday are actually species of Oxalis, also known as wood sorrels, that have clover-shaped leaves.

What is the difference between a shamrock and 4 leaf clover?

You can easily spot the difference between the two because shamrocks have three leaves (or leaflets, technically) while four-leaf clovers have, obviously, four leaflets. It takes a rare genetic mutation to get that extra leaf which is why it’s so difficult to find a four-leaf clover.

Are shamrock indoor or outdoor plants?

Shamrock plants can be grown outside in Zones 8 to 11. In colder climates, grow this plant inside and bring it outside in summer to get more sun. Plant in full sun or part sun and in well-draining soil. It has average water needs.

Should I cut back my shamrock plant?

Trim back the browning foliage to about an inch from the plant’s base. If possible, move your plant to a cool and dark location and stop watering for 2-3 months. If you can’t move the plant, trim back the foliage to ground level and leave the mulch to keep the plant’s base cool.

How do you make a shamrock bushy?

Move your plant to a sunnier location, with at least partial sun if you can, and it will respond by producing lusher growth and turn into a fuller plant. You should have this plant right in front of a window for best results.

Do shamrock plants spread?

When grown outdoors, shamrocks have an invasive nature. Their fast-spreading tuberous roots can spread like wildfire. However, when confined to a container, you can put this plant on your windowsill to enjoy the lush, clover-like leaves and charming little flowers up-close.

Do shamrock plants like to be crowded?

And, unlike other plants, shamrocks thrive when they’re crowded, so you only need to repot it if it’s drying up within 24 hours of being watered.

How often does a shamrock plant bloom?

Shamrock plants bloom periodically, with delicate white or pink flowers which peek out from clusters of leaves throughout their growing season. These whimsical, living good luck symbols can be enjoyed during the fall, winter, and spring months.

Is a shamrock a clover or an Oxalis?

Look no further than richly colored oxalis, commonly known as a shamrock. Sometimes used interchangeably, oxalis and shamrocks are unrelated to clover. Oxalis, which are often sold as shamrocks, have clover-shaped leaves that come in shades of green, red, or purple, and some are patterned.

How do you tell clover from Oxalis?

Oxalis leaves are composed of 3 heart-shaped leaflets. A clover leaf is composed of 3 oval-shaped leaflets whose margins are finely toothed and veins are prominent. Flowers are small and bright yellow, but they are “pealike” flowers with non-uniform petals and are borne in a cluster at stem end.

Is a shamrock 3 leaf or 4 leaf?

Perhaps it doesn’t matter whether the shamrock of lore was a clover or a wood sorrel. However, we do know that shamrocks have three leaves. In other words, shamrocks and four-leaf clovers (pictured) are not the same. For four-leaf clovers, their luck has a history.

What do Oxalis look like?

Oxalis are shamrock-like plants that produce a profusion of dainty flowers and unique foliage. While some varieties boast deep-purple, triangular leaves, others flaunt dark green accent markings with white to light pink blooms.

How many varieties of Oxalis are there?

Looking past the common, weedy types, we find a remarkable genus of some 800 known species.

Are shamrock plants invasive?

When grown outdoors, shamrocks have an invasive nature. Their fast-spreading tuberous roots can spread like wildfire. However, when confined to a container, you can put this plant on your windowsill to enjoy the lush, clover-like leaves and charming little flowers up-close.