I bought an old house and was...

Question

I bought an old house and was blessed with some mirabilis tubers. All I was able to find out about this unusual plant is that it belongs to the four-o’clock family. Can you give me more information on this perennial?

Answer

Four-o’clock is the name given to the plants (chiefly annual) of the genus Mirabilis. They are ornamentals, with flowers of various colors, and they get their name from the fact that the flowers open at four o’clock in the afternoon and close the next morning. You may be the proud owner of Mirabilis jalapa, also known as ‘Marvel of Peru’. Because the plants are mostly used as annuals, the roots would be very unlikely to live through a harsh winter. But you can lift them before a hard frost and store them indoors for the winter.