Japanese name: オキザリス グラブラ Scientific name:Oxalis glabra
[Overview]
A perennial 10–15 cm tall, cultivated as an ornamental.
It has an underground bulb.
The leaves grow in tufts from the bulb, consist of three leaflets, and grow thickly like a carpet.
The leaflets are narrowly obcordate with a notched tip.
The underside of the leaves and the petioles are sparsely hairy.
A single flower is borne at the tip of a flower stalk about 10–15 cm tall.
The flower is 2–3 cm across, five-petaled, deep pink with a yellow center.
The flowers open in the sun, and close and face upward on cloudy days and at night.
The aboveground parts die back before summer and the plant goes dormant.
[Cultivation]
Propagate by dividing the bulbs.
In a sunny, well-drained place it is easy to grow and multiplies well.
Take care not to overwater; for potted plants, water thoroughly after the soil dries during the growing period, and withhold water during dormancy.
For plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
It is tolerant of dryness.
Fertilizer is not particularly necessary.
There are no particular pests or diseases.
