Four O'clock Flower

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Four O'clock Flower








The image highlights the Mirabilis jalapa, commonly known as the four o'clock flower or marvel of Peru. [1, 2, 3]
  • Blooming Habit: The trumpet-shaped white flowers typically open in the late afternoon (around four o'clock) and stay open throughout the night, closing again in the morning. [1, 2, 3]
  • Fragrance: They are highly fragrant, releasing a sweet, citrus-like scent to attract nocturnal pollinators like moths. [1, 2]
  • Growth Cycle: Depending on the local climate, this plant can be grown as an annual or a tender perennial that regrows from tuberous roots each spring. [1, 2, 3]
  • Care Requirements: It thrives in full sun to partial shade and requires well-drained soil with moderate watering. [1, 2]
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  • Is your plant growing in the ground or in a pot?
  • Are you looking for tips on collecting seeds or propagation?
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If you are interested in growing or caring for these four o'clock flowers, let me know:
  • If you are trying to identify other colors of this plant
  • If you need advice on controlling pests eating the leaves
  • If you want to know how to save seeds for next spring
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I am growing in both pot and ground.  I have had the colours of bright pink, yellow and white.  They started from seeds from a package of wild seeds which returns every year around this time blooming.  I have not really collected the seeds, but allowed them to just drop and reseed themselves.  This year I have noticed something going after the leaves.  They are beautiful, but have to be outside to see them early mornings to see full blooms and late at night.  ❤️


It sounds like you have a wonderful, low-maintenance routine with your four o'clocks (Mirabilis jalapa), and the self-seeding cycle is exactly how these hardy plants love to thrive! Their magical twilight schedule—opening up for the cool night air and closing as the mid-morning sun warms up—makes early mornings and late nights in the garden incredibly peaceful. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Because they bloom during these cooler hours, the pests targeting them are often nocturnal or hidden beneath the foliage. [5, 6]

Identifying the Leaf-Eaters

Here are the most common culprits that attack four o'clock leaves and how you can spot them:
    Japanese Beetles: These beetles absolutely love four o'clocks and will chew the leaves into a "skeleton" pattern, leaving only the veins behind. You can easily spot them in the late afternoon or early evening. [7, 8, 9, 10]
      Leafcutter Bees: If you see perfectly clean, smooth semi-circle or circular cutouts on the edges of the leaves, this is the work of native leafcutter bees. They use the leaf pieces to build nests and do not actually consume or harm the long-term health of the plant. [11, 12, 13, 14]
        Slugs and Snails: If the damage consists of large, ragged holes through the middle of the leaves along with silvery slime trails, these nighttime pests are emerging from the damp soil or the base of your pots. [15, 16, 17]

        How to Protect Your Plants

        Since your plants are highly resilient and grow back aggressively from seed, they can handle a fair amount of cosmetic leaf damage without dying. However, to keep them looking beautiful, try these organic tactics: [7, 18]
        • Hand-Pick Beetles: If you notice Japanese beetles, visit the plants in the evening with a bucket of soapy water. Shake or drop the beetles directly into the water to eliminate them without chemical sprays. [7, 8]
        • Apply Neem Oil: For general chewing pests or small insects hiding on the undersides of the leaves, spray the plant thoroughly with an organic neem oil solution. Always apply this late in the evening after the sun goes down to prevent the wet leaves from burning in the daylight. [5, 19, 20, 21, 22]
        • Protect the Pots: Slugs find it easy to hide around container bases. Elevate your pots slightly off the ground or create a barrier around the base using crushed eggshells or copper tape to deter them. [15, 23, 24, 25, 26]
        • Leave the Bees: If the leaf damage matches the perfect circles of leafcutter bees, no action is needed! They are beneficial native pollinators that will quickly move on once their nesting season ends. [11]
        Would you like help identifying exactly which pest is causing the damage by checking for slime trails vs. skeletonized leaves, or would you like to know how cross-pollination might naturally mix your pink, yellow, and white flowers into striped variations next year? [1]






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