- Subject: Re: Oxalis hedysaroides 'rubra'
- From: D* C*
- Date: Thu, 15 Nov 2001 08:38:26 -0800
Dear Claire:
I grow about 300+ taxa of Oxalis, all bulbous. I grow very few of the =
non-bulbous types, although there are quite a number, mostly from South =
America. I'm not sure what they mean by "tree type", but many South =
American species grow as a small branching plant, some of which will die =
back, some not. O. hedysaroides is a South American species, and =
although I haven't grown it, the other S. American species I have grown =
experience a semi-dormant stage where they lose most or all of their =
leaves, usually in winter. None of these species I have grown were =
bulbous. The South American species are not as showy (usually) as the =
South African species, which have a truly remarkable range of leaf types =
and color of flowers.
Oxalis season is now in full swing, and our greenhouse that holds our =
collection is something to behold on a sunny day. At present we have at =
least fifty or so different taxa in bloom, from the stunning O. =
gracilis, with pale tangerine flowers at the end of ten inch polished =
mahogany stems (no-one would ever believe that this is an Oxalis), to =
the several forms of O. hirta that are covered with pink to red flowers. =
O. hirta v. longituba is particularly beautiful this year, growing like =
a small Christmas tree, smothered with pink long-tubed flowers. The =
several forms we have of O. luteola are in bloom, literally massed with =
huge pale to deep yellow flowers held over beautiful leaves that vary =
from almost blue to green splashed with burgundy, all with a deep =
crimson underside. O. purpurea is often scorned because the varieties =
offered by the big growers are the ones that multiply like crazy, but we =
grow several clones that are quite slow to reproduce, and offer flowers =
in a color range from peach through purple striped with white to deep =
cherry. Oxalis callosa is almost finished blooming now, but its deep =
lavender flowers with a burgundy central ring are also strongly scented. =
Another scented Oxalis, O. fragrans, opens its flowers in the =
afternoon, when it also releases its freesia-like scent, while O. =
pocockiae smells just like fresh coconut! O. fergusoniae is just now =
blooming, with its small succulent leaves and flowers of a dazzling =
satiny salmon pink.
All of the above are in bloom now, but later in the season comes the =
best of all -- Oxalis obtusa. The color range of O. obtusa is amazing, =
and the flowers are produced in such abundance that they hide the =
leaves. Color goes from all shades of yellow, many with a pronounced =
metallic sheen and a contrasting eye ring, through peach, orange, coral, =
buff and amber, and then an equally varied range of pinks and reds. All =
the flowers are heavily veined, and most have an eye ring of a darker, =
or in some cases different, color.
I could go on!!!! Of all the wonderful bulbs we grow, I simply couldn't =
live without my Oxalis collection. I actually look FORWARD to the =
winter now, and after several years of growing these beauties I still =
find it truly exciting when their beautiful leaves start emerging in =
Fall.
Not all the Oxalis mentioned are offered in our catalogue (last year we =
listed about 50), since some are very slow to reproduce. We don't have =
any 2001 catalogues left, Claire, but if you send us your address, =
you'll get one next year.
Diana Chapman
Telos Rare Bulbs
----------
From: Claire Peplowski[SMTP:ECPep@AOL.COM]
Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2001 8:31 PM
To: BULB@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
Subject: Oxalis hedysaroides 'rubra'
Group,
What is the basic difference between a "tree type" oxalis and a bulb =
type.
What is a tree type? The subject plant is a described as a bush.
Is it a rule of thumb that bulb types will have a dormant period and =
tree
types be evergrowing. Is a tree type a geophyte?
I am fond of fall and winter blooming oxalis finding they do best =
indoors
(everything here is indoors - cold outside) in hangers. Russell S. =
sold me
some O. bowiei last year. This fall on it's second season and in a =
proper
container it has multiplied a lot and has a long season of bloom. I =
like
this plant best of the lot.
I am also interested in O. Magellanica 'Nelson', O. vulcanicola and =
others
that are not listed to buy. Would it be a seed project? In short, =
where
does one find the more unusual Oxalis?
Claire Peplowski
East Nassau, NY z4
