Lucky Clover - outside or inside?
By Sticky
United Kingdom 
I have no gardening experience but my neice wanted to see if she could grow one because apparently when the four "iron cross" leaves come out they look a bit like a lucky "four leaf clover." I planted the bulb yesterday an am keeping it in the sunny windows of the house (east in the morning, west in the evening) and keeping the soil damp whilst it's still just a bulb. Apparently to encourage the leaves to grow out like a four leaf clover, once the stem reaches 5-6cm you have to put it somewhere cool (15c) but I can't find anywhere that seems suitable: the outside temps like in the shed/garage are still colder than that (7-11c) and the inside temps are always around 20c. . . . I don't want my neice to be too dissapointed if it doesn't work, so since we don't currently have anywhere that's 15c I was wondering which option you thought was best: the slightly colder outside, or the slightly warmer inside? Thanks.
On plant
Oxalis tetraphylla
2 Mar, 2009
Featured on:
oxalis
Answers
I have Iron cross and it was sold to me as an outdoor plant. it is on the edge of the beech tree and comes up every year and hasnt become a thug 'yet'. it gets a good winter protective mulch of bark& leaf litter.
2 Mar, 2009
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Hi There
please see below:-
The plant: As container-grown houseplants the Oxalis can make pretty foliage plants with their four clover-like leaves which can be pale green or golden with deep red markings. Small pinky-red-purple flowers are produced in spring. The outdoor perennial weed form of this Oxalis has tiny deep red leaves and produces small yellow flowers, not an unattractive plant but for its amazing capacity to spread and almost invincibility against most methods of removal or destruction!
Its needs: Although some Oxalis spp. Are frost tolerant it is suggested that those grown as houseplants have a winter minimum above 7C , but avoid excessive heat. Provide a situation with good light but avoid direct sun.
Care: Water regularly through the growing season. After flowering the Oxalis can be planted outside but think carefully about where it is situated.
Good for: The golden foliage makes a bright cheerful show and the small flowers are a bonus. A very easy maintenance houseplant.
2 Mar, 2009