Marvel of Peru
Mirabilis jalapa
Also listed as Mirabilis lindheimeri, Mirabilis dichotoma
Also known as Four O'clock Flower, Four O'clock, Four-o'clocks
Climate Match for your location
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Marvel of Peru is a tender perennial with tuberous roots and fragrant flowers that open in late afternoon, displaying striking color combinations of red, pink, yellow, and white often on the same plant. It's grown as an annual in cooler climates and prized for its unusual blooming habit and vibrant, trumpet-shaped flowers.
Why grow it
Marvel of Peru offers a distinctive late-afternoon blooming window that complements gardens designed around evening activity or night viewing, a trait less common among tender perennials. The reliably fragrant flowers and tendency to display multiple colors on a single plant provide visual interest without requiring deadheading for continuous bloom. It performs well in containers and warm microclimates where tender perennials are feasible, making it useful for gardeners seeking alternatives to more common annuals.
Watch out for
Plants may take several seasons to develop robust tubering, especially if rhizomes are divided frequently or grown in suboptimal conditions. Seedlings and young plants benefit from consistent moisture during establishment, though mature tubers are relatively drought-tolerant once dormant. In warmer zones where it may self-seed, volunteer seedlings can appear unpredictably in subsequent years.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Nyctaginaceae
Native Range
Mexico
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
Marvel of Peru is a tender perennial with tuberous roots and fragrant flowers that open in late afternoon, displaying striking color combinations of red, pink, yellow, and white often on the same plant. It's grown as an annual in cooler climates and prized for its unusual blooming habit and vibrant, trumpet-shaped flowers.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Marvel of Peru grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Marvel of Peru offers a distinctive late-afternoon blooming window that complements gardens designed around evening activity or night viewing, a trait less common among tender perennials. The reliably fragrant flowers and tendency to display multiple colors on a single plant provide visual interest without requiring deadheading for continuous bloom. It performs well in containers and warm microclimates where tender perennials are feasible, making it useful for gardeners seeking alternatives to more common annuals.
Watch out for
Plants may take several seasons to develop robust tubering, especially if rhizomes are divided frequently or grown in suboptimal conditions. Seedlings and young plants benefit from consistent moisture during establishment, though mature tubers are relatively drought-tolerant once dormant. In warmer zones where it may self-seed, volunteer seedlings can appear unpredictably in subsequent years.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Nyctaginaceae
Native Range
Mexico
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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