Oxalis tetraphylla (deppei) 'Iron Cross' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Iron Cross / Good Luck Plant (Lucky Clover)

Oxalis tetraphylla (deppei) 'Iron Cross'

£6.49 £7.99 SAVE 18%
Hardy in the UKSun-lovingLoved by pollinators
Pot size
9cm / 0.5L £6.49

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Description

The Oxalis tetraphylla, still widely sold under its old trade name Oxalis deppei and best known as 'Iron Cross', the lucky clover or good luck plant, is one of the most cheerful little bulbs you can grow. Each leaf is made of four heart-shaped, clover-like leaflets in fresh green, each stamped with a bold reddish-purple central cross that gives the plant its name. Above the foliage it lifts loose sprays of bright pink flowers all through summer. Sold for generations as a four-leaved pink sorrel and a token of good fortune, it is pure charm in a pot.

Wonderfully versatile, it sits right on the border between houseplant and garden plant, so grow it whichever way suits your space. It loves bright light: give it the high light of a conservatory, greenhouse or a sunny windowsill indoors, or a bright, sheltered spot outdoors through the warmer months. Best of all, it is the hardiest of its clan. Rated RHS H4, it is reliably perennial in milder, free-draining gardens, and where winters are colder it is happy to rest below ground and return each spring, so there is little to fuss over.

Water regularly through spring and summer while it is in leaf and flower, letting the surface dry between drinks, then ease off as the foliage fades in autumn and keep the resting bulbs nearly dry over winter. A light feed every few weeks in the growing season keeps the flowers coming and the clump multiplying. Its long, pollinator-friendly flowering makes it a natural among our other exotic bulbs and tubers, a bright companion for wildlife and pollinator plantings, and a fun addition to the wider hardy exotics range. Every plant we supply is nursery-grown, hand-selected and packed with care to arrive in lovely condition, ready to pot up or plant out once the frosts have passed.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Iron Cross / Good Luck Plant (Lucky Clover)

Plant me in full sun and I will stand a UK winter outdoors.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Iron Cross / Good Luck Plant (Lucky Clover)

Oxalis tetraphylla (deppei) 'Iron Cross' needs full sun or partial shade and well-drained soil. It is hardy to around −10°C, standing an average UK winter outdoors.

Good for

Dry & Gravel Gardens Exotic Borders Pots & Containers Wildlife & Pollinators

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

RHS H4 · Hardy Exotic · down to around −10°C

RHS H4, reliably perennial in mild, free-draining spots. It is winter dormant and dislikes cold, wet soil, so in heavy ground or colder gardens simply grow it in a pot or lift the bulbs under cover for winter. See our what to expect guide for how bulbs like this behave through the year.

Position

Full sunPartial shadeEast-facingSouth-facingWest-facingSheltered

full sun for the best flowering and the deepest cross markings, with a little light shade tolerated. Perfect for sunny pots, patios and balconies.

Soil

LoamSandWell-drainedAcid pHAlkaline pHNeutral pH

light, sharply drained, sandy or gritty soil that never stays wet, so it thrives in dry and gravel garden conditions and at the front of a warm border.

Watering

Water regularly through spring and summer while in leaf and flower, allowing the surface to dry between waterings. Reduce watering as the foliage dies back in autumn and keep the dormant bulbs nearly dry over winter. A light feed every few weeks in the growing season keeps flowering strong. Read moreShow less

Water regularly through spring and summer while in leaf and flower, allowing the surface to dry between waterings. Reduce watering as the foliage dies back in autumn and keep the dormant bulbs nearly dry over winter. A light feed every few weeks in the growing season keeps flowering strong.

Mature size

Height0.1-0.15 m
Spread0.1-0.2 m

Reaches full size in 2-5 years

Growth habit

Clump-forming

Flowering

Jun-Sep · Pink

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Deciduous

Pruning

Simply pull away tatty, faded leaves as they die back and tidy the crown in early spring. New clover-shaped leaves appear again from the base.

Toxicity

No serious toxicity reported. Like other wood sorrels the foliage contains oxalic acid and is best not eaten in quantity by people or pets, but it is generally regarded as low risk.

Native range

Mexico

Family

Oxalidaceae

Also known as

Oxalis tetraphylla (deppei) 'Iron Cross'

Genus

Oxalis →
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Oxalis Iron Cross hardy in the UK?

It is borderline hardy. The RHS rates Oxalis tetraphylla H4, so it is tougher than many tender bulbs and can be reliably perennial in milder, free-draining gardens. It is not bulletproof though, as the bulbs dislike cold, wet winter soil. In heavy ground or colder areas, grow it in a pot or lift the bulbs before hard frost. Sharp drainage suits it, so it thrives in dry and gravel garden conditions.

Is Oxalis Iron Cross a perennial, and will it come back every year?

Yes, it is a perennial bulb, not an annual. It is winter dormant, so the clover leaves die back completely and the plant rests underground before returning in spring. Kept frost free and well drained, it comes back year after year and slowly multiplies. Our what to expect guide explains how dormant bulbs behave through the seasons.

When should you plant Oxalis Iron Cross bulbs in the UK?

Spring is the classic planting time, once the worst frosts have passed, so the bulbs can grow away into summer and flower from around June. Plant them just below the surface in gritty, free-draining compost or soil, in a warm, sunny spot or a container. They make lovely, easy additions to pots, patios and balconies.

How do you care for Oxalis Iron Cross?

Give it full sun, sharp drainage and a light, gritty compost or sandy soil. Water regularly through spring and summer while it is in leaf and flower, letting the surface dry between drinks, then ease off as the foliage fades in autumn and keep the dormant bulbs nearly dry over winter. A light feed every few weeks in the growing season keeps the flowers coming. It is happy among other exotic bulbs and tubers.

Does Oxalis Iron Cross spread or become invasive?

It spreads gently. The bulbs multiply over time to form a fuller clump, but this is a well-behaved, compact plant rather than an invasive weed, and it stays easy to control in a pot or at the front of a border. If you want more, simply lift and divide the little bulbs when dormant. It is a friendly, pollinator-attracting choice for wildlife and pollinator plantings.

Is Oxalis deppei the same as Oxalis tetraphylla?

Yes, they are the same plant. Oxalis deppei is the older trade name, still very widely used, while Oxalis tetraphylla is the accepted botanical name. You will also see it sold as Iron Cross, Good Luck Plant, Lucky Clover and four-leaved pink sorrel. It is a fun, lucky little bulb for the wider hardy exotics collection.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Meet the family

Everything about Oxalis

Oxalis, commonly known as Wood Sorrel or the Shamrock Plant, is a diverse genus of plants with over 800 species found worldwide. Many popular houseplant varieties, such as Oxalis triangularis and Oxalis deppei, originate from South America, Africa, and part...

More about Oxalis care
Oxalis Care Guide
Why Grow Tropicals

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Oxalis tetraphylla (deppei) 'Iron Cross'
£6.49 £7.99