St.Patricks Day Shamrock Plant

During the month of March in celebration of St. Patricks Day "shamrock plants" are sold everywhere we see them in the grocery store, the local Home Depot and at our favorite florist. This little green plant is so hard to resist by all of us to bring a bright green spot into our home after a long cold winter but did you know there really is no such thing as a shamrock plant.Shamrock is derived from the Irish word 'seamrog' and means 'little clover'. In Ireland, the plant most often referred to as the shamrock, is actually white clover.

Our association of the shamrock plant with St. Patricks Day comes from the Irish tale which tells of how Saint Patrick (who was also a teacher) used the three-leafed shamrock in his lectures to explain that the Trinity, (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) could all exist as separate elements of the same entity. His followers adopted the custom of wearing a shamrock on his feast day.

Here in the United States.most of the plants sold in supermarkets and garden centers around Saint Patrick's Day as 'shamrocks' are really Oxalis acetosella or Oxalis deppei. They may not be the real shamrock, but they are a great substitution. Oxalis acetosella has white flowers while Oxalis deppei has red blooms.

Oxalis like lots of light and prefere south or west exposure. High temperatures will cause them to go dormant and they like to be barely damp and should be fertilized monthly with an all purpose formula of fertilizer. While it is possible to grow oxalis for years without giving them a rest, they perform at their best with a period of dormancy. When the plant begins to look tired, stop all watering and fertilizing and store the plant in a dark, cool place. After a couple of months bring it out and start watering again. You'll be rewarded with fresh, new growth

So pick up one of an expensive "Shamrock Plant" at your local grocery and enjoy the tradition of St. Patricks Day