"Miracle Plant" (yeah, right). A couple of cute, fast-talking youngsters were pitching "Miracle Plant" at the Philly Flower Show, selling these dark carrot-looking tubers. I looked at the photos and thought, that looks a lot like a 4 O'Clock, but no botanical name is given. Hmm. Oh no, I was told, this is no 4 O'Clock, it's a Miracle Plant! I don't know, I said, those blooms sure look like Mirabilis japonica to me. Well, OK, it's actually related, but this one starts blooming much earlier and blooms right on through until frost!! OK, I said, I'll try it, in fact I'll buy 3. The tubers sprouted quickly when plunged into planters on my deck, and there's little doubt -- they are regular old 4 O'Clocks. It's early June and mine are about 15" high, no blooms yet.

So although this plant isn't the advertised miracle, my experience taught me 2 things: 1) it's probably worth digging and saving those Mirabilis tubers from year to year for a quick-starting, large plant and 2) as always, if it sounds too good to be true -- it is. At least I didn't line up to order that blue tulip.

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One of the few plants that survived the 2011 Texas heat and drought.

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Four o'Clocks do self seed in my garden, but I consider that a good thing as this way I have them each year. Very easy to pull out from areas were I don't want them growing.I have tried planting them from tubers and from seed and either way works just as well.

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Quickly becoming one of my favorites. A great plant here in zone 7a. It requires little attention, thrives in the blazing sun and humidity, and isn't picky about soil. Also fairly drought tolerant. Although it can reseed profusely and can be considered invasive under some circumstances, to me it is worth the effort to pull out the extra plants.

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Hummingbird Moths draw sustenance from 4 o'clocks as their equipment is adapted to be able to utilize long-funneled flowers.

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Mirabilis jalapa is native to tropical South America but has escaped cultivation and become naturalized in some parts of the U.S. Four o'Clocks are a fast-growing, shrublike perennial here in the south and reach heights of 4 feet. Four o'Clocks are proliferate self-seeders and have large, heavy, deep-rooted tubers that are difficult to eradicate. I have both the dark pink and the white variety growing in my yard and although the late afternoon blooms are beautiful I consider them pest plants because I can't seem to keep them under control.

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