Four O'Clock (Marvel of Peru)
Mirabilis jalapa
Family Nyctaginaceae
Four o'clocks keep their own schedule — buds stay furled through the heat of the day, then swing open in late afternoon, fragrant trumpets sometimes splashed several colors on a single plant, holding court all evening for hawk moths and any hummingbird still on patrol.
An easy, bushy old-timer from seed, drought-tough and unbothered by neglect, it builds tubers you can lift and store like dahlias, returning bigger each year. The seeds and roots are toxic, so this one's for the eyes and the nose. Set it near the evening seat and wait for four o'clock.
Where to buy four o'clock (marvel of peru) — 5 nurseries compared
Full Sun to Part Shade
Low water
Fast growth
Attracts hummingbirds
Attracts bees
From the print shop
Growing four o'clock (marvel of peru)? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries four o'clock (marvel of peru) — Mirabilis jalapa, print Nº 192, “Four O'Clock (Marvel of Peru).”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it thrive where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what four o'clock (marvel of peru) actually needs.
Life cycleTender perennial, grown as an annualFour O'Clock (Marvel of Peru) · Common problems
Common four o'clock (marvel of peru) problems
Pests
1 problem on file
- Almost none
Diseases
1 problem on file
- Almost none
Four O'Clock (Marvel of Peru) · Growing & propagation
Growing four o'clock (marvel of peru)
- Light
- Full Sun to Part Shade
- Water
- Low-Moderate
Drought-tough
Soil- Any well-drained · pH 6.0 - 7.5
Fertilizer- Light
Pruning- Cut back; dig tubers to overwinter (z6 and colder)
A charming old-fashioned bush that blooms on its own schedule — trumpet flowers unfurling in the late afternoon (around four o'clock) and staying open, fragrant, through the evening to feed hawk moths and hummingbirds, then closing by morning. Often several flower colors appear on one plant, even one branch. Fast and easy from seed, drought-tough, and it forms tubers you can dig and store like dahlias to grow bigger each year.
Spacing- 12-18 in
How to plant & propagate four o'clock (marvel of peru)
- Propagate
- Division or seed
Four O'Clock (Marvel of Peru) · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Four O'Clock (Marvel of Peru) · Yearly calendar
The four o'clock (marvel of peru) year, month by month
Jan
No calendar activity is listed for this month.
BloomBloomJune to August
What each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Four O'Clock (Marvel of Peru) · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Mirabilis jalapa
Four O'Clock (Marvel of Peru) in the garden system
- Herbaceous layer perennial
- Nectary/insectary
Attracts- Hummingbirds, Bees
Moisture- Upland / dry
Deer- Browsed
Protect young plants
Origin- Introduced
What four o'clock (marvel of peru) is grown for
! Some parts toxic — see notesSeeds and roots TOXIC if eaten — grown ornamentally
Use- Evening bloom
- Use
- Hawk moths
- Use
- Old-fashioned charm
- Use
- Fragrance
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Four O'Clock (Marvel of Peru) · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a four o'clock (marvel of peru) variety
'Broken Colors' (marbled); 'Limelight' (gold leaf); mixed-color strains
Sources & plant identity
Know what you’re growing.
See where the knowledge comes from.
Four O'Clock (Marvel of Peru)
Mirabilis jalapa
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Mirabilis jalapa
- Plant family
- Nyctaginaceae
- Growth habit
- Perennial · Tender Perennial
- Origin
- Introduced
- USDA plant symbol
- MIJA
- Invasive risk
- Low
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
Questions
Four O'Clock (Marvel of Peru) questions, answered straight.
Is four o'clock (marvel of peru) safe for kids and pets?
With care. Seeds and roots TOXIC if eaten — grown ornamentally Site it accordingly if children or pets roam the garden. This is general reference, not medical or veterinary advice — call a vet or poison control if something has actually been eaten.
How do you propagate four o'clock (marvel of peru)?
Division or seed.
Elsewhere
Where four o'clock (marvel of peru) sits in the library.
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