How to grow Four O'Clock Flower

Mirabilis jalapa

Also called marvel of Peru, beauty of the night, Mirabilis

🌸 Flower 🌱 Grown each year

Vibrant, trumpet-shaped flowers that open in the late afternoon and evening, releasing a sweet fragrance. Attracts pollinators and can self-seed readily. Often grown as an annual, but is a tender perennial in warmer zones.

At a glance: Sow late April to late May.

When to sow, plant and harvest

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Sow outdoors

Flowers

Timed for a typical UK garden (last frost mid-April). The app uses your own town's frost dates.

Growing Four O'Clock Flower: what it needs

Light: Full sun · 6+ hours a day
Watering: Regularly, especially in dry periods
Soil: Well-draining, average soil · pH 6.0–7.0
Spacing: 30-60cm apart
In pots: Grows well in containers
Feeding: Generally not needed in good soil; light feed if soil is poor.
Hardiness: USDA zones 7–10
Difficulty: Easy

Step by step

Late April – late May · 7 days after the last spring frost
Sow Seeds Outdoors (optional)
Direct sow seeds 0.5-1 cm deep after all danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed.
7–14 days after “Sow Seeds Indoors” · Late April – early May
Check Germination
Seedlings should emerge in 7-14 days. Ensure consistent moisture.
14 days after “Transplant Outdoors” · Mid May
Thin or Space Plants
Thin direct-sown seedlings to 30-60cm apart when they are a few inches tall. Ensure transplanted plants have adequate space.
60–90 days after “Thin or Space Plants” · Mid July – mid August
First Flowers Appear
Expect the first fragrant flowers to open in the late afternoon. Continue regular watering.
30–60 days after “First Flowers Appear” · Mid August – early September
Collect Seeds
Allow some flowers to go to seed. Collect the round, black seeds when they are dry and easily fall off the plant. Store in a cool, dry place for next season.