Desert four o'clock

Sun

Full sun; tolerates light afternoon shade in very hot climates.

Water

Low once established. Water young plants regularly while they root, then water deeply only during prolonged drought.

Soil

Well-drained sandy, gravelly or rocky soil; tolerates lean and alkaline ground. Avoid persistently wet soil, especially in winter.

Height

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)

Spread

3-6 ft (0.9-1.8 m)

Flowers

Late spring or summer into autumn, depending on climate; magenta to purplish-pink funnel-shaped flowers open in late afternoon and close the following morning.

Foliage

Opposite, broad oval to somewhat heart-shaped green leaves on branching stems; growth dies back for winter.

Growth

Moderate; established plants make a broad mound each growing season.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1 ft (0.3 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.1 ft (0.35 m)

3. After 2 years

   1.3 ft (0.4 m)

4. After 3 years

   1.5 ft (0.45 m)

   full size

About 3 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Native to

the US

Growth rate

Moderate

• Plant in spring in a sunny position with excellent drainage.
• Water during establishment, allowing the surface soil to dry between waterings; reduce watering once rooted.
• Avoid routine feeding and rich compost, which encourage excessive leafy growth.
• Use a thin gravel mulch rather than moisture-retentive mulch around the crown.
• Allow room for the spreading stems and avoid moving established plants, which develop a large, deep root.

Pruning. Cut dead stems back close to ground level in late winter or early spring before new growth appears. Routine summer pruning and deadheading are unnecessary.

Late winter

Remove dead stems and check that water is not collecting around the crown.

Spring

Plant young plants once the soil is workable and warming; choose their permanent position carefully.

Late spring

Watch for new shoots before disturbing apparently empty ground; plants can emerge late.

Summer

Water new plants as needed, but let established plants dry between occasional deep soakings.

Late summer

Collect mature, dark seeds if you want to raise more plants.

Autumn

Reduce supplemental watering as growth dies back and clear wet debris from around the crown.

• Use as a broad flowering mound among boulders in a dry gravel garden.
• Plant beside a terrace or seating area where the late-opening flowers can be enjoyed.
• Combine with upright penstemons and fine-textured grasses for contrast with its broad leaves.
• Place on a sunny bank where its spreading stems can cover open ground without frequent irrigation.

Garden styles it suits: Desert / xeriscape, Southwestern, Desert modern, Dry gravel garden, Pollinator garden and Evening garden.

Plant it with: Pineleaf penstemon, Firecracker penstemon, Blue grama, Indian ricegrass, Chocolate flower and Banana yucca.

Wildlife: Flowers provide nectar for hawkmoths and other visiting insects; bees also visit while flowers are open. Its late-opening flowers are particularly useful to dusk-active pollinators.

• Root or crown rot in wet soil: improve drainage or move young plants to a raised, gravelly position; avoid winter irrigation.
• Weak growth and sparse flowering in shade: provide more direct sun.
• Excessive leafy growth after feeding or frequent watering: stop fertilising and reduce irrigation once established.
• Failure after transplanting: use young nursery plants or sow seed in place rather than moving a mature, deep-rooted plant.

Species-specific toxicity to people, cats, dogs and horses is not well documented. Related four o'clocks contain harmful compounds, particularly in roots and seeds, so do not eat this plant or allow pets or livestock to chew it. The severity of poisoning from this species is uncertain.

• Garden four o'clock (Mirabilis jalapa)

  Usually grows more upright and has flowers in a wider range of colours, including white, yellow and red. Each green, cup-like involucre surrounds one flower, whereas desert four o'clock has several flowers within each i…

• Wild four o'clock (Mirabilis nyctaginea)

  Has more upright growth, distinctly heart-shaped leaves and much smaller pink to purplish flowers, rather than the large, showy trumpets of desert four o'clock.

Mirabilis means 'wonderful' in Latin, multiflora means 'many-flowered', and four o'clock refers to the flowers opening late in the day.

Propagation. Grow from seed sown in spring, preferably in its final position or in deep pots for planting out while young. Lightly nick the hard seed coat and soak overnight before sowing. Division is not recommended because of the large, deep root.

Accepted botanical name

Mirabilis multiflora

In the US and Canada

Native in the lower 48 states.

Native range

Arizona, California, Colorado, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Northwest, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Utah.

Measured

Soil pH 6.5 to 8.5.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.