Four o’clocks provide daytime beauty, nighttime fragrance

Americans call it snacking, but the British fight afternoon hunger with afternoon tea. This is a light meal usually eaten between 3:30 and 5 p.m. And in London, nothing marks afternoon like Big Ben, the Great Bell of the Palace of Westminster.

And there are special flowers that open around teatime, in the afternoon or evening, the aptly named four o’clocks (Mirabilis jalapa). These fragrant flowers will even open on cloudy days, then remain open until the following morning. The 2-inch-long flowers are trumpet-shaped with five petals, and they come in several colors. Many four o’clock plants produce blooms in multiple colors, sometimes with marbling or other markings.

These are often grown as annuals that bloom in under two months from seed. Four o'clocks produce large tubers that can be dug up and stored like dahlias over the winter. These easy-to-grow flowers attract pollinators such as hummingbirds, moths and butterflies.

Once established, four o’clocks will tolerate drought. They grow into small, shrubby plants about 24-30-inches high and wide. The Limelight variety has bright chartreuse-green leaves that provide a brilliant contrast to its fuchsia flowers. In addition to solid colors, four o' clocks come in broken colors with striking stripes, marbling and speckles.

Choose a spot with lots of sun – at least six hours of sunlight – in any well-drained soil. Although they tolerate some shade, the plants might grow thin and leggy, and not bloom as much if their area is too shady.

Soak the seeds overnight to speed up germination. Directly sow the seeds in the garden after all danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed up. Press the seeds into the garden soil about 1/4 inch deep. 

Water when the top 1 to 2 inches of soil feels dry to the touch. Avoid overwatering, since wet, soggy soil can cause root rot. Fertilize with any good slow-release organic fertilizer. These plants grow best in average soil that is slightly acidic to neutral (pH 6 to 7).

A light mulch around the plants will help keep the soil moist and hold down weeds. Organic mulch includes leaves, grass clippings, straw and wood chips. If you are growing four o'clocks in containers, they will need more regular watering than plants in the garden.

These hardy flowers are rarely eaten by deer. Please note that all parts of four o'clock plants are toxic both to pets and people. All varieties of Four O'Clocks are open-pollinated, not hybrids, so they produce seed that grows true.

Because they grow quickly, you can use four o'clocks to fill in space quickly in an annual or mixed bed, and they make colorful potted plants. Plant this nighttime bloomer under a bedroom window so you can enjoy its fragrance along with the early moonlight. Grab a scone and some tea, and you just might hear Big Ben in the distance.