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- Oxalis megalorrhiza
Oxalis megalorrhiza
Place ideally in a sunny position or in partial shade.
Always water a few days after the substrate has dried out. In winter, limit watering.
It can tolerate 5 °C in the short term. The plant is not hardy.
The upright, stout stem grows from a partially exposed root - the caudex.
Oxalis megalorrhiza, also known as Oxalis carnosa, is a fascinating succulent plant native to central and northern Chile, Peru and Ecuador. It gets its name "megalorrhiza" because of its swollen caudex, a thickened root that is partially exposed from the ground. It grows in dry, rocky places, terraces and rock crevices between 0 - 4 000 m above sea level.
Oxalis megalorrhiza is characterised by its emerald green trifoliate leaves which dry and fall off in prolonged drought. The leaf petioles can reach up to 8 cm in length. The thick caudex of the plant produces an upright, stout stem that grows to a height of 10 cm.
In spring, the Oxalis produces yellow flowers that grow on long stalks.
If we want to aestheticize the plant, we can cut off the erect stem at the right time. The cut part can take root and the mother plant branches beautifully. Some sources state that the plant is edible. I don't recommend eating it, but we never know when we might need such an edible Oxalis.