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Nyctaginaceae
California Four O'Clock
Mirabilis laevis
Mystery and evening beauty.
- Family
- Nyctaginaceae
- Genus
- Mirabilis
- Native to
- California, Southwestern United States
- Bloom season
- Spring, Summer
- Type
- herbaceous perennial
- Height
- 1-3 ft
- Sunlight
- full sun to part shade
- Soil
- Well-drained, sandy or rocky soil
- Water
- low
- Hardiness
- 8-11
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- California four o'clock flowers open in late afternoon and close by morning, perfectly timed for moth and bat pollinators.
- The trumpet-shaped flowers attract hawk moths with their sweet fragrance that intensifies as evening approaches.
- This wildflower grows from a large tuberous root that helps it survive prolonged California droughts.
- The genus name Mirabilis means 'wonderful' or 'miraculous' in Latin, referring to the remarkable flower behavior.
- Different flowers on the same plant can be different colors, and individual flowers may even show color streaks and sectors.
Color meanings
0
timidity
1
attraction
2
mystery