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Old 31-12-2006, 12:11 AM posted to rec.gardens
simy1 simy1 is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 150
Default Oxalis - control hints, please!


Roger wrote:
Oxalis stricta (?) or common yellow oxalis annually invades my streetside
ground cover plants for about six months, from November through May, and
starves them of light, making for very spotty spring growth for the invaded
prostrate rosemary, red apple succulent, myoporum, and miniature ice plant
cover. They are persistent, nearly alien in their tenacity, and seem to
spread by seed, rhizome, and bulblets, so pulling does little good, even in
our soft loamy coastal soil in N. California. Since they die out from June
to October, letting them take over means barren ground in the summer months.
Is there any practical control solution outside of individually digging the
thousands of plants?
I would guess oxalis is in the clover family, but wouldn't clover control
chemicals also damage my four ground cover plants?
Thanks for any ideas!


Oxalis does not spread by rhizome, only by seed. If the ground covers
were thicker, oxalis would be reduced. You could also consider adding
wood chips by hand in the ground cover. That will be a total pain but
it will give you a few years of respite.