Photo: Richard Bartz, Munich aka Makro Freak · CC BY-SA 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons
Purple Shamrock
Oxalis triangularis
Deep-purple triangular leaves that fold up at night, with dainty pale-pink flowers. Grows from bulbs and bounces back even if it dies down.
- Terrarium type
- Closed or Open
- Terrarium size
- Small
- Light
- Medium to bright indirect
- Care level
- Easy
- Growth habit
- Upright
- Pet safety
- Toxic to cats & dogs
Growing Purple Shamrock in a terrarium
Where to place it
Position its deep-purple triangular leaves in medium to bright indirect light, where they'll open by day and fold up at night. Works in either vessel.
Watering & humidity
Keep the substrate lightly moist while it's in active growth. It grows from bulbs, so ease right off if the foliage dies back.
Watch out for
Don't panic if it collapses and dies down — it's just going dormant and will resprout from the bulbs. Overwatering during dormancy rots those bulbs.
Reference: Oxalis triangularis on Wikipedia.
Purple Shamrock FAQ
Can Purple Shamrock grow in a closed terrarium?+
Yes — Purple Shamrock (Oxalis triangularis) thrives in a closed terrarium. The sealed glass traps the constant, high humidity it needs, and it tolerates the lower light inside a covered vessel.
Can Purple Shamrock grow in an open terrarium?+
Yes. Purple Shamrock (Oxalis triangularis) is well suited to an open, unsealed terrarium where air moves freely and excess moisture can escape — exactly the conditions it prefers.
What size terrarium does Purple Shamrock need?+
Purple Shamrock suits a small terrarium — jars & bottles. It has a upright growth habit, so plan its position with that in mind and trim or divide it if it starts to outgrow the glass.
Is Purple Shamrock easy to care for?+
Purple Shamrock is rated easy to care for in a terrarium. Deep-purple triangular leaves that fold up at night, with dainty pale-pink flowers. Grows from bulbs and bounces back even if it dies down. Don't panic if it collapses and dies down — it's just going dormant and will resprout from the bulbs. Overwatering during dormancy rots those bulbs.
How much light does Purple Shamrock need?+
Purple Shamrock does best in medium to bright indirect light. Keep it out of direct sun, which magnifies through glass and scorches leaves. Position its deep-purple triangular leaves in medium to bright indirect light, where they'll open by day and fold up at night. Works in either vessel.
Is Purple Shamrock safe for cats and dogs?+
Purple shamrock (Oxalis triangularis) is toxic to cats and dogs: its soluble oxalates can cause drooling and vomiting, and in large amounts kidney damage — though its sour taste means pets rarely eat much.
