Plant Details

Oxalis tuberosa

Oca

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Common names

21 names · 11 languages
EnglishYour language
Other languages (10)
Dutch
  • knolklaverzuring
  • Oca[1]
French
  • Oca du Pérou
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Czech
  • šťavel hlíznatý[1]
Finnish
Quechua
Russian
  • Кислица клубненосная[1]
Slovak
  • kyslička hľuznatá[1]
Spanish
+5 more namesShow fewer names
Sources & name notes (1)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Oxalis tuberosa — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Oca — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 122836; Oxalis tuberosa.
  • Oca — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 122836; Oxalis tuberosa.
  • oca — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 122836; Oxalis tuberosa.
  • šťavel hlíznatý — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 122836; Oxalis tuberosa.
  • Ibia — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 122836; Oxalis tuberosa.
  • Papaíbia — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 122836; Oxalis tuberosa.
  • Uca — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 122836; Oxalis tuberosa.
  • Ibias — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 122836; Oxalis tuberosa.
  • Yams — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 122836; Oxalis tuberosa.
  • Hibia — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 122836; Oxalis tuberosa.
  • uqa — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 122836; Oxalis tuberosa.
  • New Zealand yam — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 122836; Oxalis tuberosa.
  • papa extranjera — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 122836; Oxalis tuberosa.
  • papa chucuyule — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 122836; Oxalis tuberosa.
  • Кислица клубненосная — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 122836; Oxalis tuberosa.
  • oca — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 122836; Oxalis tuberosa.
  • 酢醬薯 — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 122836; Oxalis tuberosa.
  • 酢浆薯 — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 122836; Oxalis tuberosa.
  • kyslička hľuznatá — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 122836; Oxalis tuberosa.

General information

Scientific name: Oxalis tuberosa
Accepted name (Kew): Oxalis tuberosa Molina View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Oxalidaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Oxalis (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Oca
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Herbaceous
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 0.50 m
Spread: 0.30 m
Growth rate: None
Foliage: None

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 6-9
Soil moisture:
Moist
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Full sun

Uses

Edible parts:
Leaves, Flowers, Root
Edibility rating:
(5)
Medicinal rating:
(0)
Functions:
None

Description

Tubers - raw or cooked. When first harvested, they have a sour lemon taste. However, if they lie in the sun for a while, they become sweet. Some varieties are so sweet that they are compared to dried figs and sold as fruit in local markets in South America. The cooked roots are delicious, both in their sweet and sour state. They can be prepared in similar ways to potatoes, such as boiling or baking. The tubers are usually slightly smaller than potatoes, with larger specimens reaching a length of 8 cm or more. Due to their slightly waxy skin, they are easy to clean. They consist of about 70-80% moisture, 11-22% carbohydrates, 1% fat, 1% fiber, and 1% ash. The carbohydrates are sugars and easily digestible. Sour varieties contain a lot of oxalic acid (up to 500 ppm), but sweet variants contain much less oxalic acid than potatoes. Both the young leaves and flowers can be eaten, both raw and cooked, but they are of lesser quality. Use them in moderation and read the notes at the top of the page.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/10
Harvest ends: 31/03

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 121995; name ID 2397716; Oxalis L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 114131; name ID 2394426; Oxalis tuberosa Molina.

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Oxalis tuberosa

    Taxonomic data from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 822289, ID 4BBMR: Oxalis tuberosa Molina (accepted).

    Source checked on .