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Oxalis tetraphylla - Cav.

Author	Cav.	Botanical references	200
Family	Oxalidaceae	Genus	Oxalis
Synonyms
Known Hazards	The leaves contain oxalic acid, which gives them their sharp flavour. Perfectly all right in small quantities, the leaves should not be eaten in large amounts since oxalic acid can bind up the body's supply of calcium leading to nutritional deficiency. The quantity of oxalic acid will be reduced if the leaves are cooked. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition[238].
Range	Southern N. America - Mexico. Naturalized in Britain.
Habitat	A weed of cultivated soil in Jersey[17].
Edibility Rating	3 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	0 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 0.1m by 0.3m.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil.

Habitats

Ground Cover; Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Flowers; Leaves; Root.

Leaves - raw or cooked[105]. A pleasant acid flavour, though a little fibrous[K]. Use in moderation, see notes at top of sheet, Flowers - raw[K]. A dellightful acid flavour, they make an attractive addition to the salad bowl and are especially relished by children[K]. Root - cooked. Starchy but of poor quality[2, 105].

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

None known

Other Uses

Ground cover.

Ground cover[K]. The plants are dormant for about 5 months of the year, but grow so densly in the summer that they make an effective ground cover in full sun or light shade[K].

Cultivation details

A very easily grown plant, preferring a sandy soil in a warm dry position[1]. Our plants have proved to be very tolerant of neglect, succeeding for a number of years even in the dense growth of grass weeds[K]. When well-tended, clumps can spread quite quickly[K]. This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c[200]. Closely related to O. deppei, which is included in this species by many botanists[200].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in late spring or early summer. Division in spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.

Links

This plant is also mentioned in the following PFAF articles: The Potted Garden.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[17] Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.

[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

Readers Comments

Plants for a Future does not verify the accuracy of reader comments, use at your own risk. In particular Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. You should always consult a professional before using plants medicinally.

Oxalis tetraphylla

Frank Haslam Thu Oct 1 2009

I grew these half inch bulbs of Oxalis tetraphylla in a large flower pot, and they flowered profusely form July till late September. I dug them up and found some very large bulbs. white 2" circumference, tapering 3" verticallyto a fine point. On the top of some were fine bulbs or corms (half inch diameter. Can anyone explain this phenomenon please? What can I do with the large bulbs and with the small ones.

Oxalis tetraphylla

Frank Haslam Thu Oct 1 2009

I grew these half inch bulbs of Oxalis tetraphylla in a large flower pot, and they flowered profusely form July till late September. I dug them up and found some very large bulbs. white 2" circumference, tapering 3" verticallyto a fine point. On the top of some were fine bulbs or corms (half inch diameter. Can anyone explain this phenomenon please? What can I do with the large bulbs and with the small ones.

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