Mirabilis jalapa
Marvel of Peru, False jalap, Four o'clock
Also known as Oxybaphus
- Height × spread
- 0.6m × 0.6m
- Position
- Full sun
- Hardiness
- Frost free greenhouse 1C & above (RHS H2)
- Flowers
- Summer, Autumn
Availability
Please ask in store about availability
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
This delightful tropical plant is often seen in cultivation as a half hardy annual. The flowers open late in the afternoon and are closed for ever by noon the following day. They delight with their delicious, sweet, fruity, perfume. The blooms themselves are long slender tubes with flared lips. They appear in a variety of shades, crimson, pink, white, yellow, or are streaked with various colours though crimson predominates. It makes an ample, lush, shrub with rich-green, conical, leaves. The plant reaches around 60cm (2ft) height with similar spread.
- Flower colour
- Pink, Red, White, Yellow
- Foliage colour
- Green
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- Yes, fruity
- Shape
- Bell
- Height
- 0.6m
- Spread
- 0.6m
- Season of interest
- Summer, Autumn
- Flowers in
- Summer, Autumn
- Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Garden style
- Scented garden, Mediterranean garden
- Sun or shade
- Likes full sun
- Soil type
- Chalk, Clay, Loam (normal)
- Soil pH
- All types
- Drainage
- Moisture retentive soil
- Hardiness
- Frost free greenhouse 1C & above (RHS H2)
- Borders & containers
- Borders and containers
- Use for
- Wall cover
- Walls
- South facing
- Hazards
- Yes, potentially harmful; Humans: Harmful if eaten
Spring
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Feed with houseplant food monthly
Give the plant a balanced houseplant feed monthly while in growth.
Where food elements are listed as three numeric values on the label representing in order Nitrogen(N)-Phosphorus(P)-Potassium(K), with percentage values for each, choose one where the values are more or less equal.
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Water to keep the soil moist
For best results, this plant needs soil that is always moist. Water deeply and regularly as soon as soil appears dry. Even for established plants in the ground, a dry week can cause problems with some soils. Check plants in pots more often, especially in hot weather. Or install an automatic irrigation system which will do the hard work for you, even when you are away on holiday.
Without regular watering some plants never fully regain their beauty.
Planting & general
Compost · Planting
Loam based compost + grit for repotting
Use a free draining loam based compost rather than one which has been modified to be 'moisture retentive'.
Alternatively prepare a compost using three parts of loam (John Innes no. 2 or 3) to one part of (horticultural) sand or fine (horticultural) grit.