Oxalis

We have scratched the surface with the number of Oxalis we have available, but nevertheless the colours range from white, various shades of pink and orange. The flowers have 5 petals, equal in size, often with a colour change towards the centre. In comparison to the foliage they are a good size. They open in sunny weather, but will remain closed at night or in dull weather. Foliage is arguably as attractive, each leaf with three lobes, like a clover leaf, or more. Some are spreading in nature, so careful thought about their site might  be needed or grow in pots! According to different sources there are around 500-600 different species to choose from. One is native to the UK, O. acetosella, our woodland sorrel. Also, from the Andes comes the O. tuberosa, oca. Grown for its edible tubers. An interesting alternative to the potato.