Mirabilis multiflora
Long-lived drought-tolerant perennial herb forming hemispheric clumps with magenta funnel-shaped flowers that open in the late afternoon, native to desert and dry shrublands of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico at elevations 500–8,500 ft, with a large underground tuberous root and ethnobotanical uses among Hopi, Zuni, and Navajo peoples.
Common Names
Colorado Four O'Clock, Showy Four O'Clock, Desert Four O'Clock, Froebel's Four O'Clock, Four O'Clock, Wild Four O'Clock
Summary
Colorado four-o’clock is a perennial herb native to the southwestern United States and Mexico that forms hemispheric clumps about 60–100 cm in diameter with stems 40–70 cm tall; leaves are opposite and ovate, and magenta funnel-shaped flowers about 2.5–6 cm long open in the late afternoon and stay open through the night, releasing a musky fragrance, supported by a large tuberous root and a drought-tolerant habit.
Cultivation favors USDA zones 5–10 in full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil; after establishment it is drought-tolerant and suitable for xeriscapes, with regular watering the first season; propagation by seeds (scarified/stratified), softwood cuttings, or dormant division; uses include ground cover and erosion control, and deer rarely browse.
Lifecycle
Annual, Perennial
Height
1-2.5 feet
Spread
3-6 feet
Hardiness Zones
Zones 4-8
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally full sun to partial shade.
Soil Type
Well-drained, dry soil; tolerates sandy, loamy, or clay textures (gravelly or rocky soils); pH 5.6–8.5
Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil
Soil pH
5.6–8.5 (acidic to alkaline)
Bloom Color
Pink to magenta
Bloom Time
Spring, Summer, and Fall
Foliage Color
Dark green
Fall Foliage Color
Brown
Leaf Lifecycle
Deciduous
Growth Rate
Rapidly growing
Seasons of Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Cuttings, Division
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts bees, hummingbirds, birds, and hawkmoths
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- (Torr.) A.Gray
- Publication
- Rep. U.S. Mex. Bound. 2(1): 173 (1858)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Caryophyllales
- Family
- Nyctaginaceae
- Genus
- Mirabilis
Inferior Taxa
Mirabilis multiflora var. obtusa Mirabilis multiflora var. pubescens