Overview

Introduce a touch of vibrant charm to your plant collection with the Oxalis Iron Cross live plant. Known for its distinctive four-leaf clover-like foliage, this delightful plant showcases a captivating blend of green leaves with a prominent burgundy or purple ‘iron cross’ marking at the center of each leaflet. While this offering is for a young starter plant, mature specimens will adorn your space with delicate pink flowers, typically appearing from spring through summer. The botanical name, Oxalis tetraphylla ‘Iron Cross’, accurately describes its unique appearance and resilience. This particular variety is cherished for its ornamental appeal and relatively easy care, making it a fantastic choice for both novice and experienced plant enthusiasts. Our Oxalis Iron Cross live plant arrives well-rooted in its nursery pot, ready to thrive in its new home.

The ‘Iron Cross’ cultivar of Oxalis is often associated with good luck, making it a thoughtful gift or a personal treasure. Its compact growth habit ensures it fits beautifully in various settings, from windowsills to garden borders, provided the climate is suitable. Enjoy the dynamic visual interest this plant provides as its leaves fold up at night or during periods of intense light, only to unfurl again with the morning sun. This starter plant provides an excellent foundation for growing a robust and beautiful specimen that will captivate all who see it.

Key Benefits

The Oxalis Iron Cross live plant offers numerous benefits, making it a popular choice for enhancing any living space or garden. Its unique aesthetics and manageable care requirements stand out among ornamental plants.

• Striking Foliage: The most prominent benefit is its eye-catching green leaves with a distinct purple or burgundy ‘iron cross’ pattern, providing continuous visual interest even when not in bloom. This unique coloration adds depth and texture to any plant arrangement.
• Delicate Pink Flowers: In spring and summer, the plant produces charming pink flowers that beautifully complement its vibrant foliage, adding an extra layer of beauty and appeal. These small, trumpet-shaped blooms create a lovely contrast.
• Compact Growth Habit: Ideal for smaller spaces, windowsills, or as part of a mixed container garden, the Oxalis Iron Cross live plant maintains a manageable size, making it versatile for various indoor and outdoor applications.
• Relatively Easy Care: This plant is known for being forgiving and straightforward to care for, making it an excellent choice for beginners or those seeking low-maintenance greenery. Simple watering and light requirements ensure its health.
• Dynamic Movement: The leaves exhibit nyctinasty, meaning they fold up at night or during harsh light conditions, and open again in the morning, offering a fascinating daily display of movement and life.
• Perfect Starter Plant: You receive a healthy, well-rooted Oxalis starter plant, providing a solid foundation for successful growth and enjoyment. It’s ready to establish and flourish with proper care.
• Versatile Placement: Suitable for bright indirect indoor light or partial sun outdoors, allowing for flexible placement in your home or garden, depending on your climate and preferences.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Proper care is essential for your Oxalis Iron Cross live plant to thrive and display its full beauty. While generally low-maintenance, understanding its specific needs will ensure vigorous growth and abundant blooms. This particular Oxalis prefers bright indirect light indoors or partial sun outdoors. It can tolerate some morning sun, which can help intensify the foliage colors, but too much direct afternoon sun, especially in hot climates, can scorch its delicate leaves. Aim for a location where it receives filtered light throughout the day. If growing indoors, a north or east-facing window is often ideal, or a few feet away from a south or west-facing window.

When it comes to watering, moderation is key. Allow the top inch of the soil to dry out completely between waterings. Overwatering is a common issue with Oxalis, as its bulbs are prone to rot in constantly soggy conditions. During its dormant period (which can occur in hot summers or cold winters), reduce watering significantly. Good drainage is crucial; use a well-draining, light soil mix, ideally with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. A high-quality potting mix amended with perlite or sand will provide the necessary aeration and drainage. The ideal temperature range for this plant is between 60–80°F (16–27°C). Protect your plant from temperatures below 50°F (10°C), as it is not frost-hardy. If you’re looking to buy Oxalis Iron Cross, ensure you have a suitable environment ready.

Fertilize your Iron Cross Oxalis care routine with a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength every 2-4 weeks during its active growing season (spring and summer). Avoid fertilizing during dormancy. Repotting may be necessary every 1-2 years as the plant outgrows its container or to refresh the soil. Pests are not a major problem, but occasionally watch out for common houseplant pests like spider mites or aphids. Treat with insecticidal soap if necessary. With these simple tips, your purple leaf Oxalis will flourish, providing continuous enjoyment.

Size & Details

This offering is for one healthy Oxalis Iron Cross live plant, which is a starter plant. It comes well-rooted in a standard 4-inch nursery pot, providing a stable environment for its initial growth. At this stage, the plant is young and focused on establishing its root system and foliage. While photos may show mature plants for reference, your plant will be a youthful specimen, typically without flowers upon arrival, but ready to develop them as it matures. The Oxalis ‘Iron Cross’ typically grows to a compact size, reaching about 6-12 inches in height and spread, making it an excellent choice for small spaces or as an underplanting in larger containers.

The plant is shipped in its nursery pot, ensuring minimal transplant shock and immediate readiness for placement in your home or garden. Its moderate growth rate means you will see noticeable development over a few weeks with proper care. Expect the vibrant green and purple foliage to be well-developed, showcasing the characteristic ‘iron cross’ pattern. This Oxalis starter plant will begin to produce its charming pink flowers during its active growing season, usually from late spring through summer, once it has settled into its new environment and matured slightly.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this Oxalis Iron Cross live plant get? A: A: This Oxalis variety typically grows to a compact size, usually reaching about 6-12 inches in both height and spread. It’s perfect for windowsills or as part of a mixed container garden.
• Q: What size pot does the Oxalis starter plant come in? A: The plant you receive will be well-rooted in a standard 4-inch nursery pot, providing a good base for its initial growth and establishment.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The Oxalis Iron Cross live plant is versatile. It thrives indoors with bright indirect light and can also be grown outdoors in partial sun, especially in warmer climates. Protect it from frost.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: It prefers bright indirect light indoors or partial sun outdoors. While it tolerates some morning sun, avoid intense direct afternoon sun, which can scorch its leaves.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, the Iron Cross Oxalis care requirements are relatively straightforward, making it a good choice for beginners. Its main needs are proper light and careful watering.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: You will receive one healthy, well-rooted starter plant in its nursery pot, as depicted in the last photo of the listing. It will be ready to plant or display upon arrival.
• Q: How long until it blooms? A: As this is a young starter plant, it may not have flowers upon arrival. With proper care and maturity, it typically produces delicate pink flowers from spring to summer.
• Q: What’s the minimum temperature this purple leaf Oxalis can tolerate? A: This plant should be protected from temperatures below 50°F (10°C). It is not frost-hardy and should be brought indoors or covered in colder weather.
• Q: What kind of soil is best for buy Oxalis Iron Cross? A: A well-draining, light potting mix with added perlite or sand is ideal. The soil pH should be between 6.0 and 7.0 to ensure optimal health.
• Q: Is this plant pet-safe? A: Oxalis plants contain oxalic acid, which can be toxic if ingested by pets. It’s best to keep this plant out of reach of curious animals.