Temperature
55–75°F
Keep away from winter window glass and heating vents.
Purple shamrock
Oxalis triangularis
Purple shamrock wants bright indirect light and water every 6 to 11 days, once the top inch is dry. Toxic to cats and dogs.
Light
Bright indirect
LowMediumBright indirectDirect
An east or south window within three feet. The leaves fold shut at night and reopen in the morning, which is normal.
Water
Every 6–11 days
Baseline for a 6-inch pot indoors. Check first: water when the top inch is dry, not on a schedule.
Humidity
40% and up
Fine in normal household air. Prefers 50%.
Difficulty
Easy
Scores 2 of 5: Scores 2 of 5: grows from bulbs and dies back completely once or twice a year. People throw it out at that point; leave it dry for a month and it returns.
Habit
Clumping
Grows to 6–12 inches. No support needed.
Toxic to cats and dogs — poison severity low
Contains soluble calcium oxalates. Reported signs include vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy.
If a pet has chewed a leaf, rinse the mouth with water and call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
Full detail for cats → Full detail for dogs →
What each authority says 2 sources concur
- ASPCA — genus-level entry: Oxalis spp.
- Toxic to cats and dogs · soluble calcium oxalates
- NC State Extension
- Poison severity: Low · Soluble calcium oxylates
Light
Bright indirect light. An east or south window within three feet. The leaves fold shut at night and reopen in the morning, which is normal.
Water
Every 6 to 11 days in a 6-inch pot, when the top inch is dry.
Treat the interval as a starting point and the test as the actual instruction. Pot size, light level and season all move the number.
| Method | soak and dry |
|---|---|
| Test before watering | the top inch is dry |
Soil and potting
Two parts potting soil, one part perlite.
Repot roughly every 2 years, or when roots come through the drainage holes and water runs straight through without absorbing.
Common problems
Ranked by how often each turns out to be the cause for this species. Each links to a diagnosis page with the causes ranked for this species.
- Drooping act today
- Yellow leaves this week
- Leggy growth monitor
Pest and disease guidance for this species consulted at the Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, checked 2026-09-12.
Pests
Recorded for this species. Each links to identification and treatment.
- Spider mites act today
- Aphids this week
Propagation
Division in soil. Roots in 14 to 35 days.
| Preferred method | division |
|---|---|
| Medium | soil |
| Time to root | 14–35 days |
| Node required | No |
| Best season | Spring and summer |
Sources
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control — Oxalis spp. Checked 2026-09-12.
- North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Oxalis triangularis Checked 2026-09-12.
- Wikidata entity Q935848 — taxonomy and entity identity.
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online — Oxalis triangularis Accepted name; family Oxalidaceae. Checked 2026-09-12.
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder — Oxalis triangularis Pest and disease guidance. Checked 2026-09-12.
- Photograph: Richard Bartz, Munich aka Makro Freak, Wikimedia Commons , CC BY-SA 2.5.
Compiled and edited by Tony Valcarcel · 2026-09-02
Tony Valcarcel is the editor and publisher of this database, not a horticulturist
or a veterinarian. Every fact above is drawn from the sources listed, and
toxicity severity is reported only where one of them stated it.
How this is sourced.
Last updated 2026-09-02