Four O'Clock
Mirabilis jalapa
Four O'Clock blooms from July through September.
Mature size, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not.
Growing Four O'Clock
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 9–11. Expect it to reach about 2.6 ft tall and 2 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 1 year.
When to plant Four O'Clock
Wait until all danger of frost has passed, then plant out Four O'Clock into warm soil; in most zones that means late spring. Planted then, it flowers from July to September.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 9 in February.
Comes in 5 colors
Same plant, same care - pick the color you are growing.
Good to know about Four O'Clock
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Safety
All parts are poisonous if eaten, seeds and roots the most, causing stomach upset; handling roots or crushed seeds can irritate skin. Extension offices rate it low-severity. per NC State
Worth knowing
The flowers open in late afternoon, around four o'clock, and stay open through the evening and night, closing by morning; on cool or overcast days they stay open longer. per NC State
Self-seeding varies by region
It self-sows and can naturalize into a weedy stand in mild-winter southern gardens where the tuber survives, but reseeds only modestly in colder gardens. Deadhead for fewer volunteers. per NC State and Arkansas
Draws night moths and hummingbirds
Its fragrant, long-tubed evening flowers draw night-flying hawk and sphinx moths and hummingbirds at dusk; it also serves as a larval host for the white-lined sphinx. per Wisconsin
Dig and store the tuber
In cold zones, dig the potato-like tuberous root after the first frost and store it barely moist and frost-free like a dahlia, then replant after the last spring frost. per NC State
Deer usually leave it alone
Deer tend not to favor it, in keeping with its toxic foliage and roots, though very hungry deer may sample any plant. per Wisconsin and Missouri Botanical
Many colors on one plant
Colors include white, yellow, pink, red, magenta, and purple, often mottled or striped, and several different colors frequently appear on the same plant. per Missouri Botanical
What pairs well with Four O'Clock
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Sea Thrift
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; lower at 8 in, for the front of the border.
Perennial Sunflower
Shares full sun and moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage.
False Indigo
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in late spring, before this one opens; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; taller at 3.3 ft, for the layer behind it.
Mock Orange
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in late spring, before this one opens; taller at 8.2 ft, for the layer behind it; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Chives
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in late spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Flowering Crabapple
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; stands well above at 20 ft, a canopy to plant beneath.
Rosemary
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Stock
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; pink sits close to red on the wheel.
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