Think you can’t grow houseplants? Convinced you’ve got a black thumb? Not so fast. 

Let me tell you about Oxalis, a  tough little houseplant that’s nearly impossible to kill. You’re probably familiar with it already. Pots of it are sold every St. Patrick’s Day and it grows wild across the country. Yes, Oxalis is the botanical name for what many like to call shamrocks or 4 leaf clover (most of them have three leaves per stem though) and aren’t actually either.  You can find this plant in the traditional green and also in attractive purple and maroon varieties.. In the summer months profuse flowers appear in pretty shades of pink, yellow, white and purple.

Keep evenly moist and in a sunny, warm spot and it will thrive. If you accidently let it go dry, it will simply go dormant. To revive, trim the wilted and dead foliage away and as close to the soil line as possible and water thoroughly. You’ll see new growth within days. If you’re keeping it evenly moist and giving it plenty of sun, don’t worry if you see the growth yellowing and dying back, Oxalis enjoys a period of dormancy now and then.  In this case, cut the dead and dying growth away but don’t water until you see new growth, as this will let you know the plant is coming out of dormancy.

Finally, if the plant seems wilted, especially at night or on dark, cloudy days, don’t panic or assume it needs water. Oxalis flowers close, the leaves fold, and the stems droop at night or when light levels get low. Wait until the light returns and see if it perks up. If it doesn’t take the plant out of its pot and check the roots to rule out root rot, then water.