PlantFiles: Four O'Clock, Marvel of Peru
Mirabilis jalapa

I have grown Mirabilis jalapa (4 O'clocks) for 5 years now, always from seed I have collected from the previous year. I can not say enough good things about them. They have very rewarding blooms. Mine get 3-4 ft.tall and 2 ft. wide. They bloom in mid-summer and last through the fall. The blooms open around (you guessed it) 4 O'clock in the evening.

I sow them in the house before the last frost and put them out when they have 4 leaves. All I do from there is water & enjoy! As soon as the flowers begin to die, I deadhead them until September, then I quit and collect my seed for the next year. Do Not mulch until it's seeded if you want them to self sow! Mulch after it's seeded for winter protection. Hope I helped. ENJOY!

My mother and I have cuttings from my grandmother's four o'clock, which is more than 50 years old. We allow the plant to reseed itself every year. We think the plants have died, and yet they spring forth once more. What a pleasant surprise every year! So far, we have had no change in bloom color (vivid pink).

4 o'clocks form tubers that can be lifted and stored in cold regions to maintain a specific plant. These tubers are hardy to about 10F, or colder if well-mulched.

Excellent fragrance!

These plants grow in complete shade as well as full sun. However, expect a bit smaller plant with less blooms about 2 ft high is all they will reach in complete shade. I have one plant in full sun that is 7 feet tall, YES I said 7 feet tall about 4 ft wide its a marvel of hundreds of salmon colored blooms. Somehow in the same area from seeds from last year a solid yellow one grew beside it this year. as well as many more Salmon colored. How that occurs is anyone's guess.

In my area even though we do have hard freezes and some snow the 7ft tall one is from the original plant not seed produced, so mild winters make these perennials not annuals, as long as tubers don't completely freeze and rot. This 7 footer was transplanted here in Alabama from one grown in Oklahoma. Therefore they are hardy and you can grow from cuttings or from tubers as well as seeds. I say get some and enjoy the fragrance and beauty.

I like this plant, but the roots do quickly grow very large and therefore can be difficult to remove. I grew them from seed and at first the tubers were small and compact, but by the time they grow big enough to flower, the tubers had grown carrot like extensions for which I am posting a photo. If your soil is hard clay, you may not be able to remove all of the roots, because the carrot like parts tend to break off and remain in the ground.

This grows well in Zone 11. It is a perennial here and often becomes invasive. It does well in the sandy soil with little care or attention. Dubai, UAE

I am new to this plant and have already started some seeds this year.

By the end of May, almost all seedlings have a height of 3-4 inches with 6-8 true leaves. I grow them in containters so that their roots are confined. Can anyone give me any idea the best fertilser ratio (NPK) for this plant and how often to fertilize?

Seeds have always sprouted for me in ten days (inside, in room temperature).

I grew 4 O'Clocks from seeds last year, transplanted them into my yard (under the eaves of the house) and they really GREW. Over the winter they died out (I forgot to cover them) and figured they were long gone...but they are back and in full swing ranging from 1 foot to 3 foot already. I can tell you that they grow very well in Texas (Zone 8), but I was trying to find out when is a good time to move them? they are taking over in the area I had. So if anyone knows WHEN to move them please let me know :o). BTW, mine are in the following colors: salmon, yellow, purple, white and striped. My grandmother said that they tend to breed together and produce some awesome colors. The ones I have that are striped are in these colors: yellow / white, pink / purple and red / yellow.

I read that these plants are poisonous to the Japanese Beetle. They do seem to feast on them then die.

About 5 years ago someone gave us a few seedlings from which we harvested seeds in the fall and replanted outside each year after last frost (about the first week of May in our part of southern Ontario). Absolutely wonderful. It is a beautiful late afternoon flowering shrub from about August 1 through first frost (late September here) does not need dead-heading, does not seem to get eaten by anything and requires no watering. I discovered the reason for the last benefit the first fall that I tried to pull the old plants up - the tap root must have gone down two feet. Two years ago I had stored all the seeds (hundreds) in an open aluminum tin in the garage for the winter. The mice ate everyone of them. I didn't find any mouse corpses around, so I don't know about the toxicity of the seeds (at least for mice). The eaten seeds put me into a panic though, because I had no idea what the plants were called and had never seen them grown around here at all (and I only discovered this site recently). Luckily, a few seeds germinated where they had fallen in the flowerbed, so I was back in business. This year I tried starting a few them inside, but found that because they germinated and grew so quickly, that I had started them way too early. In any case, they don't seem to boom outside until the weather gets really warm. The flower colours seem to randomize from plant to plant through salmons and yellows.

I love four o'clocks. I unfortunately have to dig for a drain were mine currently reside and I have no seed because I just moved to this house. I will be on the look-out for them though. I especially like that I have some that are mixed colors.

I just found one growing in my front yard. I have no idea how it got there! I never had this plant before and I came online to find out what it was. I looked around the neighborhood and didn't see any other ones around. What a nice surprise!

I grew white four o'clocks in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia, from seed one year, and they reseeded themselves in a partly shady flower bed for a few years, but never really grew very large. It was in a "new house" yard of recently bulldozed heavy red clay.

I moved to Florida last year, and brought down a few of my plants in pots, and the past two summers I have had four o'clocks appear in some of my potted herbs. I'm now waiting to see if they will appear in the ground next year--I suspect that they will.

An attractive plant I would much rather have naturalized in my yard than the native poison oak and Virginia creeper I am currently battling in my flower beds!

Have had one come up by itself in my backyard next to the fence. From where it came, I do not know (perhaps a bird dropped a seed from its beak). What a surprise! It really adds color to an otherwise green-only area. The flowers are purplish-red and open up around 5pm here in South Florida and the smell is very sweet. The soil in the area of the plant is coral sand, so I plan on spreading the plant around the yard where the soil is poor. My wife tried in vain to take a small branch of the plant and put it in water to see if it would take root. Since that did not work, I now know from previous posts how to propagate the plant.

This plant grows extremely well in Ottawa Ontario Canada. Each year I start my plants from seeds in early May and move the plants outside after the last frost. The plants are bushy and flowers profously (pink, yellow, salmon and mixed). This year I tried something new. I pinched off the lower leaves as it grew to encourage a thicker stalk and greater height. The idea was to create a little flowering tree. It worked somewhat, but will need a little more refinement next year to make it look even better. Many people have commented on the beautiful flowers and I have given out hundreds of seeds to anyone interested in growing them. As anyone who have had success with this plant, seeds are easy to come by. For a low maintenance plant you couldn't ask for a better return for your efforts.

I first saw Four O'Clocks as a child at a neighbors house. The tiny 'grenade-shaped' black seeds were on his walkway. He let me have a few and they grew readily. My neighbor grew his like a hedge and kept them shaped very squared. They are a fun and sweet smelling plant!

This plant has light to medium green leaves. Is okay but the seed that drop are easily, easily turned into new plants. Blooms a very long time and repeatedly from earliest warm period to very cold conditions. Comes back year after year. Has two colored plants. One is a purplish pink color and the other bright yellow. Grows fast and tall. Draught tolerant.

This plant appeared in the garden of my farm house in western Victoria, AUSTRALIA. I have both the yellow and the pink varieties. They came up in beds and even between pavers with no care at all. I have found them to be drought tolerant but with water and good soil can grow to about four and a half feet tall and same width. They have the most beautiful fragrance and mostly open at night. I have found that their opening is related to temperature and not light as on cool days they will stay open all day and when we had a 30 degree (celcius) midnight (very very hot) they were still closed. I have never seen this plant anywhere else but my garden. I think it is a great plant, colourful & tropical looking, so fragrant and can withstand temperature extremes and not much water. Great website by the way !

These grow with minimal care. I leave the tubers in the ground over the winter and the next spring, they began to come up bigger and stronger than before. I let them come to seed and just harvest the seeds that have blackened every other day. I share with friends or trade on the internet. The smell in the evening in my backyard is magnificent. I love this plant!

I haven't tried to grow it yet. This is to advise that this flower grows all over, voluntarily, in Extremadura, Spain, springing up alongside city gutters, etc. My plant book calls it an annual, but it certainly behaves like a perenniel. The variety here may be a hybrid, as it grows only to about 2 feet high. The flower is known locally as the "perico." It's not fragrant but very showy.

It overwinters along my south-western foundation. I love the smell in the evenings and it is a low maintainence, trouble free plant that asks very little of you.

Planted in full sun, my 4 o'clock has taken off like crazy. It's a great plant if you have the room and require something lush, full and covered with flowers.

This is a first year plant so I can't fairly comment about experience with invasiness.

I got my "4-o'clocks" as tubers that were dug from a friend's bed. They were huge tubers, and planted in a protected (from wind), but sunny location, they come back every year here in Zone 6-7. They grow from the original tubers and also reseed. It is easy to transplant the small seedlings, once they are a few inches tall. They do like a lot of room, though. Mine flower in solid pink, yellow, and a striped or mottled version of both pink & yellow. I love these flowers-they smell wonderful!

I have been growing Four o'clock for about 10 years now I plant them with Asiatic Lilies which makes for a wonderful show. For a dazzling display of color try the kaleidoscope variety they resemble the old fashion multicolor carnival balloons. The heavenly scent of the Four O’clock is fresh and clean reminds me of being on the beach in Hawaii.

Since our winters in Massachusetts are to cold for this plant I dig up the tubers before the first freeze and store them like Dahlias. In the spring I start the tubers in large pots and then transfer them when the danger of a freezing is over. They also do very well in containers.

Eddi

I'm not sure where or how I got my 1st 4 o'clocks but I do love them and so do my neighbors. WE have alot of walkers around here and quite a few have asked me for seeds when they saw me havesting them in the fall. Of course, I love giving them to all my neighbors. And what goes around comes around...This year I've planted a few things I've been given.

An absolutely AMAZING plant!!! This is my first year growing it and I am very impressed by it's fragrance and how many flowers it produces. The blooms open around 7:30 here. They seem very well suited to containers. (however, if you do this, make sure it is a large container!) Any ideas on how to store the tuber?

Hello, I live in west Texas. I have 4 o'clocks in my back yard that have been growing year after year for over 40 years. I never do anything to them and they keep comming back. They have spread into my neighbors yard also.One year I tried to dig them up but they just came back thicker the next summer. Some of the plants are 6 feet tall but most are around 4 feet tall.They use to be bushy and full of flowers now they are geting alot of stalks and very weedy looking.
I wish I knew what to do to get them back under control.

I live in the Seattle, Washington area.
I bought a plastic rectangular planter, it is against a white wall, outside, with mostly afternoon sun. I tried 5 packets of wildflower seeds, nothing grew, then planted some plants from a nursery in it. After some neighbor dumped his hamburger grease in it, all I had left was a Dianthis that curled into a little green ball, and never flowered again!
Then this "weed" started growing.. My other half said "Pull it", but I said wait until it has flowers! I know now, from this forum, that the weed turned out to be a 4 0' clock! This plant put up with infrequent waterings, a transplanting, and to my joy, since I don't get home until 1:30 in the morning, I get to see the plant in full bloom! My plant is the yellow/red varigated type. After transplanting it was further away from the porchlight, and I came home tonight to find the whole plant had turned toward the light! Also it likes cooler temps.
A very hardy and interesting plant, I would recommend it.

After a few years of a mixed patch, a person will usually find that either pink or gold will become the dominant color.

Summer wilting is natural in hot climates; the plant does this when it needs to cool and reduce sun-surface area. Blooms best in full sun.

In Cocoa Beach, 4-o'clocks are hardy to being invasive. I'm still digging up tubers from a pkg of seeds I planted 7-years ago. I've unsuccessfully attempted to get rid of them w/herbicide, and during this period, it hasn't been cold enough to have much effect. They don't spread by suckering, but 'throws off' seeds (like that invasive Ruellia brittoniania purple Mexican petunia). Over the years it's migrated across my property from its original location. I'm still digging them up where they mix well with mother-in-law tongues (Sanservia), another hardy, invasive survivor!

I've been growing Four O'Clocks long enough for
the tubers to become quite large. I simply love them!

The fragrance is just amazing, and though it may be
my imagination, I swear the pink is more fragrant than
the yellow. Both grow on the side of our fence each year,
mainly from root, much from seed. It is so easy to
grow.

In late summer, my relaxation period is standing
at these large plants gathering seeds. Each night I
retire to my desk with pockets full of seed.

Will reseed and make many more plants, so not for
the lazy gardener. I simply till around the main plants.
Easy enough to run the weed trimmer over unwanted
babies, or give them to friends for their garden.

I wanted to comment about the "potential" invasiveness of this gorgeous and highly fragrant plant. I have grown these for several years and have not found them to be invasive at all- I only wish they were! My 4:00 are NOT growing in improved soil nor are they in a bed. I think that may be the key to keeping them in control. It's very difficult for the seeds to germinate in the hard clay that they're growing in. Mine come back from the tubers.

At my parents former house in Allentown PA (zone 6) the Four O'Clocks have been coming back year after year for over 45 years from tubers that have found a home along the foundation on the east side of the house. I remember them from when I was a teenager. How sweet they smelled when I came home after 10 PM. Some of them grow to 5 to 6 feet every summer producing thousands of pink, yellow, red and occasionslly some varigated blossoms. They are growing in a rather alkaline clay and need little water. While I love them I can understand how someone in Florida might have an issue with these hardy and prolific seed producers.

I've grown 4:00's for 15 yrs or so....and have learned how
they can become invasive because of lack of attention...
yet,...with care,...can provide ongoing enjoyment
because of their beauty, fragrances, ease of propagation,
and for me the tendency to hybridize into a variety of shades and even patterns of colors,as well as, shapes of the petals...the arrangement of them.. Once had one with
bi-colored petals...(each individual petal with 1 half red, 1 half white)...looked like a peppermint candy piece almost.
(The reason for "had" is another story)
Like so many other plants....4:00's can be what you pamper or neglect them to be!

It was so wonderful to see the other messages in the thread about four o'clocks and I just had to add my experience with them as I love the four o'clock a lot.

I was first introduced to the four o'clock when I was a little girl when my family and I were living in Houston. I loved their colors, and one of the plants we had had the flowers that were speckled. This one was with magenta as the main color with a speck of yellow on it. It was absolutely beautiful. I coud never understand why they were called four o'clocks until one day I was watching the clock we had and sure enough, at 4:00 in the afternoon the flowers were open.

I found out a number of years later when we went to visit my mom and grandma's home country of Panama one year (about 20 some years ago) and I found out that the four o'clocks grow there too.

I am in Jacksonville, FL now and about 4 years ago I decided to plant some of the seeds that I have and they have done real good even now. I do fertilize mine.

I found out the other day while doing a search on them that they are now calling the multicolored four o'clocks: "broken colors". A pic I saw on a website showed one that was like what another poster said, colors that made it look like peppermint candy.

I am hoping to get more seeds of white four o'clocks, try to get some red ones if I can as well as the salmon colored ones. Someone mentioned purple and I hope I can find some of them as well to add to my collection which includes magenta ones, and soon yellow.

I would love to hear from others in the Jacksonville, FL area that grow four o'clocks to see if some of them have the broken colored four o'clocks so I can see them up close and not just a picture.

Kristy

Haven't had any problems with this plant. I start the seeds in the greenhouse and transplant them when the weather warms just a bit here in the Pacific NW. I use them in one particular flower bed and they seem to do well as a beautiful, bushy plant, almost uniformly 2 1/2 feet tall. The flowers open up early mornings, later in the evenings and on cloudy days. They really do throw seeds (I've been out collecting them) and some of the "volunteers" are kind of weedy, but I just yank those out.

The best part - the bugs here don't seem to like them much! Except for an occasional slug, of course.

I have no idea where it came from because I didn't plant it, but it surely tried to take over the flower beds.

Zone 8b, Lake Sam Rayburn
Broaddus, TX

Piney Woods Nursery has a 7' tall 4-O'Clock by entryway.
Mr Gayland, owner, gave me 5 seeds which I planted Spring of 2005.

Planted seeds where they get morning sun, in sandy-loam soil. Summer 2006 I have several beautiful 4-5' bushes of this magentia- blooming plant.

I also, have a canary-yellow blooming plant.

4-O'clocks are one of my favorites.

Keep those hands dirty.

Sunbonnet Sue
p.s. Thanks for your wonderful information on growing 4-O'clocks; especially "Marvel of Peru" Mirabilia jalapa (magenta bloom),my personal favorite.

Sunbonnet Sue

My childhood memories include picking off the flowers, and playing with the seeds of this beautiful plant (ours was between my house and my neighbors, about 4 foot high, and spanned the entire side of the house). I am planting four oclock's at my own home this year- I can hardly wait to enjoy this, and share it with my children someday.

have just planted "tubers" that looked like little dead carrots. the broader end had tiny little colored nubs. not sure how to plant so put the pointed end , just like the carrot in first and left a small amount of the little nubs just above ground level. don't know what to expect . not to late to plant deeper or even change ends if that is necessary. can anyone help me? so anxious to know the correct planting procedure. thanks so much

Hi, ya'll! What a great website! I, too, remember the four o'clocks my grandma had with much fondness. A friend of mine recently gave me quite a few stalks with tubers. We planted the entire stalk and tuber and have it propped up. We treated with Black Kow. Should I trim them back or will they perk up? They are currently about 2-3 feet tall. Thanks in advance for all of your help! :-)

I had several of these plants last year. The evening fragrance is wonderful! Unfortunately, I underestimated their size so I dug up the roots (not knowing I could save them) in the fall. I did save some seeds. I have found seedlings that have popped up on their own from last years plants. I just dig them up and move them where I want them. It's definitely a plant I won't mind returning each year. And it'll be interesting to see if it's root hardy here with a good mulch.

3 years ago I purchased a pack of seeds while traveling in Florence, Italy. Package was labeled "Bella di Notte". My plants thrive on the patio with little to no attention. Beautiful yellow trumpet flowers open after sun down. Would love to have other colors. Anyone want to share?

Larry

I still remember the day I tossed a handful of Four O'Clock seeds out into my front flower bed. 2 years later I came upon a huge white tuber that grew so deep. Too late I came to realize it was a Four O'Clock. I have rued the day I ever tossed that handful out.

If you have unlimited space and want a plant that self seeds, grows large and needs no care at all, plant them. But if you live in a warmer climate, like order and have limited space, DO NOT PLANT THESE!!! They take over and cannot be killed. Once you have them, you have them. I pull them and pull them and pull them. I can't dig them for I would have to dig up my whole garden, the tubers are so deep and far reaching. You can spray Round Up on them and at most they get is burned tips and a week later they are 3 feet tall, green and lush.

I became acquainted with four o'clocks as a child in Illinois. 40 some odd years later, I bought a packet of seeds and planted them in my Arizona garden. In the winter, I clean out the flower bed and in the spring they come up like magic. I didn't realize they had tubers until a couple of them washed out of the ground. I just popped them into a bare spot and now I have a second bed. Their hot pink flowers and bright green leaves contrasts nicely with my fire engine red, dark green leafed salvias. The hummingbirds seem to like them too. I planted some white ones this season but as of yet I have not seen any flowers. The large seeds are easy to sow.

I would definitely consider this plant to be invasive, they are beautiful but not something you should plant in a small garden.

Self-seeds prolifically for me in central Illinois.

hi, i grew this plant in england [south of] and truly enjoyed the spectacular display. i took seeds for the next year as i believed it to be an annual, not necessary, it came up all by itself......
i restyled my garden and took seeds in case i had lost it, which i did. i planted the seeds to no avail, i never saw the plant again.
i blagged a few seeds from friends who had this plant [wasn't aware of the tuber way of re-generating] and packeted them up for my move to bulgaria, where, low and behold, they grow in great profusion! i have managed to add to my seed cache and now have all the tips on growing that i need, thanks to this site.
i will be keeping in touch to let you all know how my 'marvel of peru' performs. btw i didn't realise they were scented, nor did i realise just how many colours they produce..... wish me luck.
irene

Fortunately, I have not had to go through the ordeal of getting rid of these hardy plants. The only thing I hate is that I can not get any established at my house from seed. I have not tried very hard though. I'm sure I could grow them without too much effort. I love the variegated ones! My red ones grow tall and leggy, but the reds and yellows are nice and leafy. They survive our mild Georgia winters perfectly. ( McDonough is between Atlanta and Macon)

We bought 4 o'clocks last year in a child's gardening kit, and my 9 yo son loved them. They were easy to grow, and once well-started he moved them to his big whiskey barrel. Ours were in part shade, in a protected area near the back door, where I enjoyed them every afternoon and evening all summer every time I took our beagle puppy out. We saved a handful of seeds, and I am anxious to see if the original plants come back. I'm glad I found here that they can be invasive. I think we'll stick to planting them in containers for now!

Ours were mixed colors, white, yellow, pink, and lavender. Lovely smell, very easy to care for. Great project for a child! My other son started snapdragons from seed, same brand of kit, with much less success.

Booker, zone 5a

I didn't like these much. On the plus side, they do form a nice substantial bush, with more substance than most annuals (at least they are an annual for me up here!). They bloom for a long time. The flowers are nice and bright when they are open.

The main minus for me is that the dead/fading flowers remain on the plant - there are literally hundreds on the plant at any one time, many more dead flowers than fresh ones, and the overall impression is just yucky. Also, the flowers are open only for a brief period in the afternoon - the plant does not look so great when they are closed. There was no detectable fragrance. The colors are not my thing either - very harsh tones. I just hope it doesn't reseed too badly on me!

We like our Four O'Clocks. They bring hummingbirds in the mornings and those big beautiful sphinx moths at night, the ones that look like hummingbirds. I suspect their summer garden fragrance is part of what makes them so popular.
We have also found that four o'clocks kill Japanese beetles. Every year around July we find a few chewed leaves and a bunch of dead Japanese beetles underneath. A real plus.