Four o’clock flowers bloom profusely and utter a endearing fragrance all summer . The Nox - bloom perennial is a must for moon garden .
Four o’clock flowers swash fragrant , vasiform - shaped blooms in various color and patterns . Sometimes , blossoms of dissimilar shades appear on the same plant . However , their most special trait is their daily flower cycle . In the late good afternoon , around 4 p.m. ( hence the name ) , these gaudy flowers unfold up . They stay open overnight , but the colored blooms are closed by break of day .
Four o’clock peak are classiccottage gardenplants that commonly self - seed after the initial planting . These evening bloomers are a great option for quick filling space in a mixed bed or providing vivacious splashes of people of colour in a container .
Credit: David Speer
The origin and ejaculate of four o’clock flower are considered mildly toxic to humans . Wear baseball glove when care the flora .
Where to Plant Four O’Clock Flowers
Four o’clock prime , hardy inZones 8 - 11 , thrive in full sun and well - drained grunge . Situate thisnighttime bloomernear a front porch , deck , or bedroom windowpane to savour its bouquet during warm evenings . Mix four o’clock blossom with other blooming plant to take an old - fashioned cottage garden front to any bed or border that receives plenteous sun and offers space for the plants to spread .
Some varieties of four o’clock blossom can be develop as a ground cover in strong climates . When grown in this fashion , the plant can be mowed to ground level at the end of the season in October .
How and When to Plant Four O’Clock Flowers
Four o’clock flowers are easy to begin from seed , and the plant will even self - seed in optimum term . Before planting , soak the semen in H2O overnight to improve their betting odds of germinating . Plant the seeds directly in garden soil after thelast Robert Lee Frost engagement , or begin plants indoors six to eight weeks in advance of that date . If you favour to work with seedlings or abeyant tubers , plant them outdoors after the last Robert Lee Frost day of the month .
If you are sow in seeds directly into the reason , put them 6 inches apart and cover with a half - inch of soil . When seedlings emerge , thin them to 12 to 18 inch apart . Transplanted seedlings should also be planted 12 to 18 inch aside to reserve for growth .
When planting a dormant tuber , fag a hole twice the size of the genus Tuber and point it in the hole with its pointed last down . confine it in spot , cover the tuber with 1 to 2 column inch of soil , tamping it down as you work . Space multiple tubers about 24 inch aside and water them thoroughly when you are finished planting .
Credit: David Speer
Four O’Clock Flowers Care Tips
footling men - on maintenance is take to care for four o’clock flowers . even watering and eating is all they need , with an casual pruning .
Light
institute four o’clock flowers infull Dominicus . Many varieties tolerate part shade but might fall through over because of the plant life ’s big sizing and fast growth practice .
Soil and Water
Four o’clock prime develop in most soils but favor well - enfeeble , evenly moist soil with aslightly acidic pH. Plants need water when the top 1 to 2 inches of soil is dry . Add a layer of mulcharound four o’clock flowers to keep moisture in the earth . debar overwatering , as this causes solution buncombe . Once base , four o’clock flowers are somewhat drought - patient of .
Temperature and Humidity
Four o’clock flower are tenderperennialsthat do n’t bear temperature below 30 ° farad . However , in warmer climates , the genus Tuber can overwinter in the reason for invigorated development the undermentioned spring . Four o’clock blossom are not bad-tempered about humidity .
Fertilizer
Pruning
clipping awayfaded flowers and shoot when the conditions is teetotal to keep four o’clock flush looking healthy . When the plant is young , you’re able to advance bushy increment by pinching off the master stem of the four o’clock flowers . nobble as close to the foliage nodes as potential without damaging the bud underneath . Ideally , the plant sends out multiple young stems from the pinch percentage point .
Potting and Repotting Four O’Clock Flowers
Four o’clock flowers are large plants , so they do n’t do as well in container as other plants . Look for smaller varieties if you want to set the perennial in pots .
Overwintering
In mild mood where wintertime temperature do n’t dip below 30 ° F , four o’clock blossom can beoverwinteredin the ground . Water the soil deeply in the fall , trim the plant back to 3 or 4 inches , and cut across it with 4 to 5 inches of dry organic mulch .
If you want to add back your four o’clock flowers the following spring in coolheaded climates , you need to winter them by dig up the tuberous roots in the fall . hold out gloves and utilise a garden fork to pluck up the tubers . wash them off and dry out them in a shady spot for about a workweek . Store the tubers in a container filled with peat moss or sawdust , and place the container in a dry positioning where the temperature will remain between 35 ° F and 45 ° atomic number 9 . Replant the dormant tuber when the danger of Robert Lee Frost has come about in the spring .
Pests and Problems
When four o’clock heyday grow in part - shade conditions , powdery mildew may occur . You ’ll also require to reckon out forwhite or brown rust and leaf spot . Use preventive measures to keep fungus from grow , including plant rotary motion and tossing out affected plant life .
How to Propagate Four O’Clock Flowers
There are two ways to distribute four o’clock flowers from seed . you may allow the plants to reseed themselves and thin them out when seedlings come forth , or you cancollect four o’clock seedsby plucking the dark , pea - sized seeds from fading flush . apply caution when handling the seed , as they check toxic compounds . Dry thesaved seedsin a cool location for several twenty-four hours and then pose them in an envelope . Keep the bundle of seminal fluid in a coolheaded , teetotal place until the following leap .
In fountain , about six to eight weeks before the last hoar in your area , sop the seed overnight in a bowl of water . Prepare a tray or acquire pots with moist potting mix and sow the seeds about a quarter - inch deep . Position the pots in a warm smirch ( about 70 ° F ) that gets at least six hours of sun each day , and keep the soil equally moist . Do not allow the soil to completely dry out out . Once seedlings emerge , they should behardened offfor a week before they are transfer outside .
Since four o’clock flowers are a tender perennial that produces tuberous roots , the plant can also be split . Look for bulgy ontogeny buds ( or eyes ) that branch from the original fore . Cut the tuber apart with a sharp , straight - edged knife ( not a serrated one ) . Each division needs a subdivision of the original prow and an eye for successful segmentation . Replant the dual-lane tubers immediately to avoid shocking the works .
Credit: Cynthia Haynes
Types of Four O’Clock Flowers
‘Limelight’
Mirabilis‘Limelight ’ is a four o’clock heyday with chartreuse foliage and bright Battle of Magenta flowers on 2 - metrical foot - magniloquent plants .
‘Red Glow’
Mirabilis‘Red Glow ’ is a four o’clock bloom thatbears vibrant red-faced flowers on 2 - infantry - tall industrial plant .
Four O‘Clock Flowers Companion Plants
Cosmos
Cosmos , a cottage garden favourite , fills your garden with color all season . The round-eyed , daisy - similar flush seem in sunny tad on marvelous stalk that are expectant for cutting , and the industrial plant ’s lacy foliage pretend a dynamic backdrop for shorter plants . Plant cosmos from cum right away in the ground in outpouring or start from established seedling . Cosmos plants are dauntless in Zones 2 - 11 .
Flowering Tobacco
There are several type of nicotiana , more commonly known asflowering baccy . A cousin of the regular baccy plant , this fragrant bloomer is stout in Zones 10 - 11 . strain the shorter , more colorful types of flowering tobacco plant in container or at the front of bed or delimitation . The tall , white - only types , which can reach 5 fundament , add drama to the back of borders . Any variety isideal for Nox gardensas they ’re usually most fragrant at dusk .
Petunia
Petuniasare vigorous agriculturalist and prolific bloomers from midspring through late fall . Color choices are nearly limitless — some have beautiful veining in the blooms , and many are sweet fragrant . Somepetunia varietiesalso tout themselves as “ weatherproof , ” meaning the bloom do n’t fold up when piss splashes them . Zones 9 - 11 are ideal for engraft petunias as perennials . They grow as annuals in cooler Zones .
Frequently Asked Questions
Four o’clock flowers ’ showy , cannular blooming amount in pink , rose , Battle of Magenta , red , yellow , and clean . Plus , the blossoms of some varieties are streaked , splashed , or strip in a host of colors . In improver to its multicolored blossoms , four o’clock bloom boast more than one leaf color .
Four o’clock flowers rapidly develop and spread . uninfected up dropped seeds to keep the plant life from becoming aggressive in your garden .
These colorful blooms pull bee , moth , hummingbird , and butterflies .
Credit: Jon Jensen
Mirabilis jalapa . N.C. State Cooperative Extension .
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
