Four O’Clock or Marvel of Peru
Mirabilis jalapa (NYCTAGINACEAE)
Planting and Growing Four O’Clock
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow four o’clock or marvel of Peru in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, and root structure of four o’clock or marvel of Peru
- Season of bloom and planting time for four o’clock or marvel of Peru
- Plant hardiness and growing conditions for four o’clock or marvel of Peru
- When, how deep, and where to plant four o’clock or marvel of Peru
- How to plant four o’clock or marvel of Peru
- Watering, fertilizing, care and pests or diseases of four o’clock or marvel of Peru
- Landscape and indoor uses of four o’clock or marvel of Peru
- Comments about four o’clock or marvel of Peru and its features
Growing Four O’Clock
Summer tuber. Deciduous. Stands to 3 ft. (90 cm) tall. Alternate lance-shaped green leaves, 2–5 in. (50–125 mm) long.
Common cultivars include Mirabilis jalapa ‘Jingles’ and ‘Teatime.’
Sweet Four O’Clock, Mirabilis longiflora, is a closely related species with similar care needs.
Four O'Clock Planting and Care Guide
Flowers
Late summer. Pink, red, white, yellow, variegated. Many flute-shaped, fringed, fragrant flowers, to 2 in. (50 mm) wide, opening in late afternoon.
Best Climates
U.S.D.A. Plant Hardiness Zones 3–7, as annual; ground hardy, zones 8–11.
Soil Type and Fertility
Damp to dry, well-drained, sandy soil. Fertility: Rich–average. 6.5–7.0 pH. Tolerates poor soil.
Where and How to Plant
Spring in full sun to partial shade, after soil warms. Space 1–2 ft. (30–60 cm) apart, 2–3 in. (50–75 mm) deep.
Proper Care
Easy. Keep moist during active growth. Fertilize annually in spring. Propagate by cuttings or by cutting tubers into sections, each with an eye.
Lifting and Storing
Dark, 50–60°F (10–16°C), in net bag or open basket of dry peat moss.
About This Species
Good choice for accents, beds, borders, edgings, hedges in patios, poolside gardens and water features. Attracts hummingbirds. Smog and disease, pest resistant.