Tuesday, May 4, 2010


If only it weren't an irrepressible weed, what a terrific alpine plant this would be: gorgeous contrast of flower and foliage. Wonderful deep purple foliage...aaah! the irony of it all. Oxalis corniculata thriving in a crack at a church where I spoke recently. I remember plucking leaves of this on the way to grade school and savoring the sour tang of oxalic acid (which I believe is toxic in larger quantities). Few weeds are more annoying to try and eliminate in greenhouse collections, and I have a patch that still resurrects itself in parts of my rock garden no matter how vigilant I try to be to get rid of it all. Yes. Beauty is relative indeed!

2 comments:

  1. Rooting stems, tubers and long-lived seeds - it's no wonder the plant is long-lasting. Checkout the variegated form.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am totally feel'in yer pain! AGREE, on all counts - unfortunately. sigh.

    ReplyDelete

Featured Post

A garden near lake Tekapo

The crevice garden of Michael Midgley Just a few years old, this crevice garden was designed and built by Michael Midgley, a delightful ...

Blog Archive