I just have always loved Four O'Clocks. Easy flowers that I think are especially pretty. I don't mind that they reseed. I just yank out any that grow where I don't want them to be.

I love all the pretty colors of Four O'clocks but they can be invasive down here in Florida, more so the white variety than any other for some reason. We had a major problem with them at our other house and it was impossible to keep them under control. One year I cleared an area outside and along our fence and property line because the county was really bad about keeping that area mowed. I dug out some really huge Four O'clock tubers that I swear each weighed five pounds or more! The white Four O'clocks and Southern Sword Ferns always took over that area. We do have hard freezes here at times which knocks them back to the ground but they always come back with a vengeance as soon as the weather warms and they multiply like crazy. I haven't been over to our rental house in a long time but my husband will be going over there next week to replace the pool filter and do some maintenance work on the garage door so I might have to go along to check out the yard.

I absolutely love them and have only managed to have yellow and fuschia so far but working on other colors

I was given a fuchsia one last year. Had never seen 1 before then. This year I have a nice size clump of them.

I love them because they are one of the first flowers I recall from childhood. Along with Hollyhocks, they evoke magical memories.

They were the first flower name I learned and as a child my parents allowed me to select a seed packet and plant them 'all by myself'. In New England we planted the seeds every year so I just assumed they were an annual. Imagine my joy now that I live in the South and can enjoy them as perennials. I faithfully save as many seeds as I can in an effort to control their spread; only missed 12 that germinated and will be relocated. My newest is the pure white - so beautiful.

Will the white and other colors created hybrids I wonder?

I have always wanted the fuchsia ones or red or really any color. I got a packet of seeds last year & germinated them. Well, I didn't plant the entire packet as that would be too many. Out of the ones that germinated, 2 survived planting in the garden where it's sun, sun, sun & more sun & a virtual inferno in the summer. I waited not so patiently to see what color they would be. White, both of them. I am not a big fan of white blooms. That is not to say that I don't like white blooms at all. It's just that most times, I prefer colors; the brighter the better. So I got 2 white Four O'Clocks. Life likes to play games with us sometimes.

Maybe I'll scrounge around & see if I can't find those remaining seeds & see if I can get some other colors in Four O'Clocks.

I love them, too! Self-seeding in my area, not so much... for the last 4 years or so I've bought seed and tried to get some started, with no success (I regularly grow all sorts of stuff from seed, from petunias to tomatoes to herbs). Tried soaking the seeds, nicking the seeds, planting directly in the ground -- nothing!! Is there some trick to this plant that I should know (kind of sounds like everyone else is more worried about it being invasive than getting it to grow in the first place), or am I just getting bad seed?? I've never seen 4 o'clocks offered at the local greenhouses... any help is welcome and appreciated!

I am not sure why that is. It is a plant that likes warmer weather. I believe the zones for growing it as a perennial are 7 and higher. It should grow as an annual in your zone and it could be something with the seeds. Do you or have you tried growing them in sun directly next to your house? I know some grow them that way in colder zones. Many say the white is the most vigorous in colder climates but I don't know if that's the case.

I have Fuschia and yellow I would love to trade for white seeds or other colors and also could send some for postage. I have picked these off of my own and know they are good seeds

@Weedwhacker try agin but in addition to nicking & soaking (which is what I did), put a tiny amount of hydrogen peroxide in the water you soak them in. Also Tee's suggestions sound great.

@ilovejesus99 -- sending you a tmail.

I too love them.. and never had them reseed once.. wish they would here

Tee and Ann, thanks for the suggestions! I knew that they wouldn't be perennial here, but right next to the house sounds like a good idea just for getting them to grow bigger in the growing season that they would have. And I'd totally forgotten that the hydrogen peroxide can help stubborn seeds germinate... At any rate, you've inspired me to give it another try, I can be just as stubborn as any seed

Me too. It's definitely a good trait for any gardener to have, IMHO.

If only I'd know a few years ago that people wanted Four O'clock seeds! I had more than enough seeds AND tubers that I would have gladly shared! They were in such abundance (especially the white variety) which were the most prolific when it came to seeds and the white ones also seemed to grow the tallest too, reaching four feet or more in height. I always preferred the dark pink, yellow and the ones with splashes of color which for some reason didn't seem to be as invasive as the white variety.


The stems as well and tubers of the white variety get huge but those pictured below were very small compared to some of the plants that we dug out.

Many years ago (2005) I purchased Mirabilis 'Hot Glow' seeds from Thomson & Morgan. I usually dig up the tubers and store them over Winter. They do self seed, but if you save the tubers, you will get a much larger plant. Note that I am in Michigan zone 5. Hot Glow is my favorite:



Also, I have recently tried Sweet 4 O'clocks. they have really long necks:) I did these up, but they also self seed.


I have tried many different colors... broken colors, white, limelight, custard & Cream, Marrakesh, stars & stripes, and pink pin wheels. Sometimes the seed was not true to color or did not germinate well. Here is Hot Glow & Broken Colors. If you find a color that you like, the safest way to have it again the following year is to save the tuber (it's probably a root).

Beautiful Frank!

Frank: I agree, beautiful ... I really love that one called 'Hot Glow'!!

Wow, Frank!! Those are gorgeous! I definitely need to look for 'Hot Glow'.