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Four O Clock

Mirabilis jalapa
Also known as: Marvel of Peru, Four O'Clock Flower, Belle de Nuit

Four O Clock is a flower in the Nyctaginaceae family. It grows best in full sun to part shade with medium moisture, and is listed for USDA zones 2-13. Plants reach maturity about 91–105 days after planting and sit about 12 inches apart.

Varieties

1 from True Leaf Market · sorted by days to maturity
  • Marvel of Peru Mix91–105 days

    Annual; Container; Non-GMO

    91-105 Days to maturity. Mirabilis jalapa. Marvel of Peru Seeds. Non-GMO. Open-Pollinated. Ornamental. Annual or Perennial. Marvel of Peru seeds easily grow eye-catching and fragrant four o'clock flowers bursting with a sweet fragrance every day around 4 pm. Marvel of Peru Four O'clocks thrive in heat and are tolerant to a wide range of soils. Marvel of Peru seeds mature into robust and exotic 24-36 inch bushy upright plants ideal for indoor planters and baskets to accent any room with authentic summertime aroma. Marvel of Peru four o'clock seeds in your garden promise to attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and even the neighbors all season long. Approximately 400 Seeds / Ounce.

    View on True Leaf Market
Family
Nyctaginaceae
Category
Flower
Form
Bush
Lifecycle
annual
Zone
2-13
Height
2–3 ft
Spread
1.5–2 ft
Sun
Full sun to part shade

Plant spacing

1 plant per square footSquare-foot planting diagram: one four o clock fills a 1-foot square, spaced 12 inches from its neighbors.
1 plant per square foot

In a square-foot bed, space four o clock about 12 in apart — that fits 1 plant in each 1-foot square (1×1). Wider rows or containers space the same.

Water
Medium

Plan your four o clock planting

Add four o clock to a free GardenDraft plan and get sow, transplant, and harvest dates computed for your ZIP code — with a drag-and-drop bed layout and reminders when it’s time to plant.

Start your free plan →

At a glance

Days to harvest
91–105 days
From transplant or sow to first harvest
Harvest style
Keep picking
Crops over several weeks
After harvest
Use within days
Quality eases off after peak
Frost tolerance
Tender · to ~32°F
Lowest temperature the foliage usually survives
Germination
~60%
Typical minimum germination rate

Growing timeline

When to plant and harvest four o clockPlanting timeline for four o clock, relative to last frost: start indoors from 7 weeks before last frost to 1 week after last frost; grow from 1 week after last frost to 14 weeks after last frost; harvest from 14 weeks after last frost to 16 weeks after last frost.Start indoorsGrowHarvestLast frostTransplant
Start four o clock indoors ~8 weeks before transplanting 1 week after last frost; first harvest 14 weeks after last frost.
Seed to transplant
42-56 days
Outdoor planting
7 to 14 days vs frost
Propagation
Seed
Schedule anchor
Last Frost

Care & troubleshooting

No curated care & troubleshooting advice for four o clock yet. Our extension-sourced library currently focuses on common edible crops; we're expanding it over time.