Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Epiphyte
Bulb or Corm or Tuber
Origin
Southeastern United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
South America, Argentina, Brazil
Types
-
Oxalis acetosella
Oxalis adenophylla
Oxalis albicans
Oxalis alpina
Number of Varieties
3-
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Swamps
Deep, Hardwood forests
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-137-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
8-6
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 23, 24
21,22
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm15.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.60 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Burgundy, Dark Red, Light Green, Violet, Dark Salmon
Pink, Light Pink, Rose
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Several shades of Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
Obcordate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
-
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Bulbs, By dividing rhizomes, tubers, Divison
Corms or bulbs, From Rhizomes
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
Needs more water during establishment, Water Deeply, Water in morning to avoid prompting diseases
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
-
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch Tips, Pinching, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Shade areas
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, pollinators
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Bouquets, Showy Purposes
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cancer, Eye Problems
-
Part of Plant Used
Bulbs, Flowers, Leaves
Flowers
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border
Container, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
PROSTHECHEA cochleata
OXALIS articulata
Common Name
Clamshell Orchid, Cockleshell Orchid, Black Orchid
Sorrel, Wood Sorrel
In Hindi
Clamshell Orchid
sorrel
In German
Clamshell Orchid
Sauerampfer
In French
Clamshell Orchid
oseille
In Spanish
Clamshell Orchid
alazán
In Greek
Encyclia Cochleata
οξαλίδα
In Portuguese
Clamshell Orchid
alazão
In Polish
Clamshell Orchid
szczaw
In Latin
Clamshell Orchid
varii,
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Orchidales
Oxalidales
Family
Orchidaceae
Oxalidaceae
Genus
Prosthechea
Oxalis
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Epidendreae
-
Subfamily
Epidendroideae
-
Number of Species
50900
1
27800
👆🏻