Giant Chilean Oxalis
A supremely funky and strange oddity from the Atacama desert in northern Chile, this species is one of only a few in the genus that reaches to the sky to form an upright shrub rather than growing as a low ground cover. Branches twist and contort to form a Dr. Seussian looking shrub that is sure to stand out in the garden or in a sunny window if you’re in a climate where it is too cold to grow them outdoors. Giant Chilean Oxalis will go dormant during dry summers and lose all of its leaves, but come back lush and green when rains resume in the winter and then cover itself in bright yellow oxalis flowers that hummingbirds adore. Thanks to the infamous and legendary Dry Garden Nursery in Oakland, CA for turning us onto this one and the lovely Emery Rose for providing us cutting wood!
Plant near a Chilean Acacia to get your Chilean garden look going!
Latin Name: Oxalis gigantea
Site and Soil: Well draining unamended soils in full sun
Hardiness: Hardy to about 30 F.
Size at Maturity: 6′-8′ tall by 4′-6′ wide
Bloom Time: Throughout winter or whenever water is present
Pests & Diseases: None that we have observed
USDA Zone: 9