Like many US west coast gardeners, I battle with the weedy Oxalis pes-caprae, known locally as sourgrass for its taste as a salad green (yes, oxalic acid is an antinutrient, don't eat too much).
I've often wondered about the different ways this plant seems to gear up for summer dormancy. Sometimes it will grow bulblets along the narrow stem coming up from a deeply buried bulb. Other times, the stem will swell and become a storage organ itself. These two strategies will sometimes be found among plants growing right next to each other.
I'm curious if anyone has insight what might trigger one reaction or the other!
Photo below shows example of each case. From my garden in Oakland.
Emil
I've often wondered about the different ways this plant seems to gear up for summer dormancy. Sometimes it will grow bulblets along the narrow stem coming up from a deeply buried bulb. Other times, the stem will swell and become a storage organ itself. These two strategies will sometimes be found among plants growing right next to each other.
I'm curious if anyone has insight what might trigger one reaction or the other!
Photo below shows example of each case. From my garden in Oakland.
Emil