Garden Detective

Oxalis regnellii, University of Connecticut photo

Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone. No, I'm not Irish, but I do enjoy my annual corned beef and cabbage dinner and playing pranks on my kids. This morning, I sneaked some jellybeans into Julia's sneakers and told her to watch out for the leprechaun poop in her shoes.

But alas, at age 10, she's becoming too sophisticated for me. Instead of laughter and excitement, these days all I get is a groan. "Oh, Mommmmmmmmm," as if I should feel lucky she tolerates me.

What's worse, I won't be feasting on the fatty spiced brisket I love so much. I've been dieting for about 6 weeks now, and I'm determined to lose another 5 pounds before heading to Florida next month.

But still, I can get into the holiday spirit with -- what else? -- a Shamrock plant. Yes, the mystical-yet-common 3-leaf clover, which St. Patrick used as a visual prop to explain the complexity of the Trinity to the Irish. Three parts, one leaf. Three beings, one God.

I don't really know why 4-leaf clovers are the ones that are considered lucky, aside from the fact that they're so rare you'd have to be extremely lucky to find one. I Googled them this morning and learned -- from several sources, including Yahoo Answers -- that there are approximately 10,000 three-leaf clovers for every four-leaf clover out there.

The word 'shamrock' comes from the Celtic 'seamrog', which means little clover. We don't really know what kind of little clover St. Patrick used, but we assume, perhaps incorrectly, it was black medic or common white or red clover.

But if you're in the market for a potted Shamrock plant, perhaps to commemorate the day, what you'll find labeled as such in nurseries and plant shops today is Oxalis regnellii.

Oxalis regnellii. which spreads by rhizome, sends up three-lobed leaves, comprised of 3 triangular leaflets, atop 6-inch-long petioles. It flowers profusely in spring, sending up inch-long white, 5-petaled trumpets.

It's not guaranteed to bring you luck. But, if nothing else, it'll remind you that spring is on the way.