Another one of my favorite flowers are blooming now: Four o’clocks or Marvel of Peru. It is an unusual plant, in that it may produce flowers of different colors on the same plant—including white, yellow, and a variety of pink, red, and magenta colors. Individual flowers may also feature a mixture of colors. The plant can be expected to bloom from mid-summer all the way until frost.
They typically bloom in the late afternoon, from about 4:00 to 8:00 pm, although on cloudy days they may not close at all. Since four o’clocks bloom in the evening, plant them where you’re sure to see them and catch a whiff of their fragrance. They mingle and grow through other plants nicely, making a nice underplanting. Hummingbirds will visit your garden because they are attracted to four o’ clock’s tubular flowers.