mkardell
Pennsylvania
Posts: 4
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| Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 9:09 am Post subject: Sleeping Nancy |
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A friend gave me a piece of this plant she had in her house today. She called it a Sleeping (or sleepy) Nancy. It has very pretty leaves with a hint of red underneath and they almost look like a large clover (3 leaves on each branch). The cool thing is that they fold up at night! Almost like a prayer plant, but I've had one of those, so I know it's not that... I can't seem to find a Sleeping Nancy anywhere on the internet! Has anyone heard of this? If pictures are needed, let me know!
Thanks!
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Frank
 Administrator
Originally Galway, Ireland
Posts: 12349
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| Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 11:54 am Post subject: Re: Sleeping Nancy |
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Hi mkardell,
| mkardell wrote: | | If pictures are needed, let me know! |
Yes please, that would be extremely useful 
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Palustris
Posts: 527
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| Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:06 pm Post subject: |
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Without seeing a picture, it does sound rather like one of the large leafed Oxalis.
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mkardell
Pennsylvania
Posts: 4
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| Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 1:52 pm Post subject: |
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I think your guess was correct Palustris! It does look like a Oxalis (the False Shamrock one). But I'll try to upload some photos too! I wonder why she was told it was called a Sleeping Nancy??? I can't seem to find that name anywhere associated with Oxalis...
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toni
Administrator
Plants Moderator
Regular Plants Contributor
North Texas, Zone 8a
Posts: 11244
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| Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 2:53 pm Post subject: |
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Common names of plants are sometimes very strange, makes you scratch your head in wonder.
I would venture to guess that at sometime a woman named Nancy owned an Oxalis and not knowing it's proper name, she called it the Sleeping Plant because it folds up it's leaves at night. Others may have received one from her garden and referred to it as Nancy's Sleeping plant and over time the name was changed along the way to Sleeping Nancy.
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mkardell
Pennsylvania
Posts: 4
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| Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 3:10 pm Post subject: |
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Well thanks so much for your help! I guess the mystery is officially solved! 
That is I'm assuming you were able to see the pictures I uploaded and that it was indeed an Oxalis?
Thanks so much! I hope I have good luck with this little guy! Hopefully they will multiply! Do you know how they spread/multiply?
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Palustris
Posts: 527
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| Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 3:36 pm Post subject: |
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They grow from bulbs and most of them are rather free with their babies too!
I think it might be O triangularis by the way.
There is a plant called The Sleeping plant, Chamaecrista fasciculata.
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Primsong
Oregon
Posts: 1719
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| Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 5:06 pm Post subject: |
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I love the way they fold up at night. I have a big shamrock in my kitchen window that puts out blooms almost year round. When I go to close the blinds each night it looks like a bunch of little folded umbrellas. Perhaps I should name my shamrock "Nancy."
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stratsmom
Southern Oregon
Posts: 2282
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| Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 10:31 pm Post subject: |
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I had a deep red one, I think it was called "Butterfly Bush" that gave off pink flowers. It was beautiful! Think I over watered it 
Deanna
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mkardell
Pennsylvania
Posts: 4
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| Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 10:45 pm Post subject: |
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| Palustris wrote: | | They grow from bulbs and most of them are rather free with their babies too! |
I'm not an avid gardner, so I'm not sure what that means.. How are they free with their babies?? Do they drop seeds? Or do I need to divide them to get more bulbs? I got one bulb with two branches coming out of it... Will more just sprout up from the soil or do I need to do something?
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Palustris
Posts: 527
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| Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2007 8:41 am Post subject: |
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The bulb will splt and split and split and split. I have just repotted some O. melanostica which started out life as a single bulb about 5 years ago. I put over 100 back in the large pot and made up some smaller pots to sell. Patience and normal cultivation is all that is needed.
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