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Fabaceae
Blue Oxalis
Parochetus communis
Humble beauty found in unexpected places.
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Genus
- Parochetus
- Native to
- Himalayas, East Africa, Southeast Asia
- Bloom season
- Autumn, Winter, Spring
- Type
- creeping herbaceous perennial
- Height
- 5–15 cm
- Sunlight
- part shade
- Soil
- moist, well-drained, acidic
- Water
- moderate to high
- Hardiness
- 7–10
- Lifespan
- perennial ground cover
Did you know
- Also called 'shamrock pea' because its trifoliate leaves closely resemble shamrock or clover leaves.
- It is one of the very few legumes in the world that produces truly blue flowers.
- It grows natively both in the Himalayas and in the mountains of East Africa — a disjunct distribution puzzle for botanists.
- The plant spreads by runners along the ground, forming a dense mat of clover-like foliage.
- Despite looking delicate, it can tolerate light frost and grows at altitudes up to 3,500 meters.
Color meanings
Blue
rare and genuine beauty