Oxalis versicolor

Been in the polytunnel for a couple of hours, removed all the frost protection and covers to give the plants a bit of air, wiped away all the dew on the roof. Was -4C last night, think another hard frost tonight 🥶 was hoping it would get a bit milder this wkd but clearly not! Meanwhile, the day temps in the tunnel are a barmey 20C! These candy cane sorrel flowers are finally open 😍

#oxalis #oxalis-versicolour #oxalisversicolour #candycanesorrel

My cold greenhouse was -5.3 last night. Hoping it eases soon 🤞

wow so pretty

Got down to -6.4 last night I was thinking it would thaw out no such luck! I love these Candy Cane Sorrel🥰

Pretty

How pretty are those ❤️🤍

So lovely! 🥰

They’re beautiful🤍❤️

🍭 🍭 wow I love how these flower 🌺

So very beautiful 😍

Love these 😍🌞

I can’t find any #januaryblooms outside right now, but I do have these little winter oxalis in bud in the polytunnel. They tend to stay like this for most of January, and then open up on warmer days in Feb and March.

That’s the first time I’ve seen the candy cane for real…..❤️🤍

Even in bud they’re really pretty 🥰

These are so cute, I wish they were a little more frost hardy

Thanks Elaine 😊 I’m surprised not more people have tried growing it @wagsmomthompsonbtinternetcom

They are Barbara 😄 you lose the candy cane pattern when they open fully @jacaranda

Yes, I dare not grow them outside Leslie - but they do very well under the protection of the polytunnel 😊 @lesliecole49

Not in my budget unfortunately Rich and I've so many trees snd loose so many branches during our storms I'm afraid even a polycarbonate or glass house would get damaged. Maybe one of these days tho... you can never say

I tried years ago but not one show….seeds were off some international internet site…never again 😏

@richardspicer 7906 wonderful colour for winter.

They certainly are Katy ☺️ - I’m guessing this is where they get their name from, as when the buds open the flowers are just white

I think I might have said last year and forgot, but I’ll try and see if I’ve any spare bulbs I can send you once they die back, they seem to be getting a decent size clump now 😊👍🏼 @wagsmomthompsonbtinternetcom

Can’t help but think this plant should have been a prop in Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory 🏭 🍭….. morning all 👋🏼☕️

Proper candy cane colours!

Oh wow. I've only had three or four flowers on mine and they appear to be finished now ❤🤍❤

What fun

Wow! thats amazing

😂😂

So pretty. #swirls

Amazing☺️

These are so cool

So awesome ♥️🤍♥️

Fab 🍭

Look at all those flowers 😮😍😍

Popped into the tunnel this morning to take a peek, and things are coming alive… 😀 #oxalis #oxalis-versicolour #oxalisversicolour #candycanesorrel

Ooh soon be open!

Fantastic. I’ve had a few flowers on mine for the first time and there are more coming. I absolutely adore them 🥰

They look really interesting! I’ve never tried these. Are they easy to grow, Rich? 🤔😘

I tried to grow this from seed…..never seen it again.☹️ must try harder

They look really good Rich🤗

They look really healthy - yours are beautiful Jane @pelly

Thanks Elise 🥰 @Auricula

Beautiful! Lovely to see you step into your tunnel!

Fingers crossed Joan! 🤞🏼🙂 - so many more buds this year than last year @joanboston

Oh that’s great news Jane, I remember you saying you had got some. They are lovely little things @pelly

They are a fab little alpine plant Barbara. A lot of people have failed at them but I think if you treat them like an alpine and keep them away from summer wet then you are probably going to succeed- mine are planted in the bulb bed under the tunnel, no water after about May time, then restart watering again in August. Winter grower 👍🏼 @jacaranda

Finally caught it open! #oxalis #oxalisversicolour #oxalis-versicolour #candycanesorrel

Yay 🎉 I can’t wait to see mine in flower ❤️🤍❤️

Fingers crossed Jane - how are yours doing at the moment, any more shoots appearing? @pelly

Four at the moment and I'm not sure if there's another one on the way or if it's a tiny bit of moss 🤔

Believe it or not it’s been two months and these have stayed exactly like this. They have not attempted to open at all yet. One has even fainted at the anticipation 🤭 #oxalis #oxalisversicolour #oxalis-versicolour #candycanesorrel

#curiouscases

Taking their sweet time aren't they?

I ended up with three out of ten and no sign of flowers yet 🤔

Fainted 😄

It’s taken some time Jane, I discovered last weekend that they may have been opening earlier than I thought as they were open on Saturday but then closed shut again by the evening. I didn’t have any flowers in my first year so don’t lose hope with them - hopefully they will be good for you next year - keep it moist while leaves are green, then when they finally die back stop watering and keep it dry till august/September time when you can commence watering again 👍🏼 @pelly

I think they were playing tricks on me Leslie, seems they open during the day when I’m not looking! 🤭🤨 caught them at the wkd @lesliecole49

😂 lol, it eventually recovered but not without me leaning it on another leaf to hold it upright @DeborahBanks

I read they close at night

That’s great, thanks for the advice Rich. Since my comment another seedling has appeared. It gives me hope that some more might appear. They are certainly keeping me guessing 🙄😂

And first flowers! One here and two others just forming! 🍭 #oxalis #oxalisversicolour #oxalis-versicolour #candycanesorrel

Wow, I’m so not jealous 🙄

Wonderful 👍 I must admit that I'm very tempted by these.

Love the look of these ❤

Very pretty❤👍 @richard.spicer.7906

Looks great👍

Cute ☺️

Please please let us see it when it’s open I failed with this a few years ago....

Will do Elaine! Sounds like a few GT folk have tried to grow this but not been successful - I’m treating as an alpine but keeping it under cover to protect it from frosts @wagsmomthompsonbtinternetcom

Thanks Julie 🤗 @juliesgarden

Cheers Kyle! 👍🏼 @cowdenkyle

Aw thanks Laura! I like the unusual and challenging ones 😆 hoping you can find some somewhere, if you do just keep it protected over winter. It starts growing from autumn and flowers over winter, then dormant over summer so no watering then @columbiariver

My newly created bulb beds in the polytunnel are really starting to come alive now. This oxalis is a winter grower and is coming back with more growth than last year, and seems to be liking its new home. #oxalis #oxalis-versicolour #oxalisversicolour #candycanesorrel

I’ve got two now, yay 😂

😄👏🏼👏🏼 @pelly

The flowers of this Oxalis are very pretty, as the name suggests like bits of candy cane? 🍭 just peeking through the grit #oxalis #oxalis-versicolour #oxalisversicolour #candycanesorrel

These are so pretty, too bad they don't bloom at Christmas

Tried and failed with these, must try again, they're so pretty 🍭🍭

They are such u unusual flowers 🤩

Maybe next year Leslie. They should already be in flower by now but I got the bulb quite late so planted only a month ago. Keeping my fingers crossed we’ll see a flower this year although it was only a small bulb @lesliecole49

Oh that’s a shame Jane - did you have them in a pot? They are growing them in terracotta pots in the alpine house at Wisley at the moment, not one probably for planting in the ground. Might be worth having another go in a pot in the greenhouse perhaps? @pelly

Like little candy pieces Sue 🍭 @suerichards

Will do Lin - not sure if it will produce a flower this year as it’s only small right now. But will keep my fingers crossed 🤞🏼 @linfoster

They were in a planter outside Rich, so I’ll have a go in the greenhouse this time, thanks again for the advice 🙏👍