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RE: Oxalis recommendation

Nan,
As much as I hate to recommend an Oxalis, weedy little sods, I have a
fondness for O. flava.
The leaves are very prostrate especially in full sun and the rich yellow
flowers stand up over the leaves, but only just.  I've seen large areas
covered along road sides in the compacted gravel and they look
spectacular in flower.  You could almost use it as a lawn substitute,
except the flowers would suffer of course. Oh and when the flowers are
curled they show a vauge red stripe like a barbers pole, except red and
yellow.   The leaves are rather finely dissected for an Oxalis which I
think adds to its appeal.
I had some growing on the street verge in my previous house in a patch
of solid clay dug up by the coucil and dumped on my verge, then
compacted to brick like consistency by their machinery. Its still
thriving.  It also isn't terribly invasive and the idea of planting it
between pavers appeals as you would get nice little rows of leaves and
flowers without the pavers completely disappearing.

There is a nice pic in "Western Weeds" I took on the roadside mentioned
above (outside the Kirup tavern for the west aussies on the list, and no
I didn't partake of the famed "Kirup Syrup")

The only drawback I can think of, you would have to plant lots of the
little bulbs between the pavers, is there enough room? You'd probably
need to pull up pavers to get in the bulbs, unless your pavers are an
open weave design??

Sounds good anyway.


Cheers, Rod

Rod Randall
Weed Risk Assessment
Weed Science Group, Agriculture Western Australia
Home Page  http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/progserv/plants/weeds/Weedsci.htm

             "I weed..."

> ----------
> From: 	nsterman@ucsd.edu
> Reply To: 	nsterman@ucsd.edu
> Sent: 	Tuesday, 17 March 1998 11:46 PM
> To: 	medit-plants@ucdavis.edu; perennials@mallorn.com
> Subject: 	Oxalis recommendation
> 
> I'm looking for a recommendation for low-growing, "tough" oxalis to
> plant
> between pavers.  Full sun, water moderate, yellow or white flowers,
> not
> more than 4 - 6" tall (except flowers).  Anyone got anything to
> suggest?
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
> Nan Sterman, Master Composter in Residency
> Olivenhain, California
> Sunset Zone 24, USDA Zone 10b or 11
> +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
> So goes an old chinese proverb:
>          If you want to be happy for a few hours, get drunk;
>          If you want to be happy for a week-end get married;
>          If you want to be happy for a week, barbeque a pig;
>          If you want to be happy all your life long become a gardener 
> 
>
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