Wednesday 7 December 2016

Growing 4 O'Clock Flower (Mirabilis Jalapa) In My Garden.

I now have growing in my garden some plants that are called 4 o'clock plants or 4 o'clock flowers. In July, we were in Fraser's Hill and I collected some seeds from the 4 o'clock plants growing besides a rest house that we passed by on our evening walk.
 I collected seeds from both the yellow and deep pink flowering plants but they got mixed up by the time I reached home. I germinated some of the seeds, hoping to get seedlings of both colours growing.
I am happy that the seedlings were of both colours growing in my garden. I am now enjoying the yellow and deep pink flowers.
Surprisingly, I also have these light orange or beige flowers blooming from the yellow flowering plants.
These are the seeds of the 4 o'clock plants. They are easy to germinate. I just pushed each seeds into the soil about half an inch deep.
Baby seedling of 4 o'clock plant in a flower pot. Another common name is Marvel-of-Peru. Its scientific name is Mirabilis Jalapa.
These are the flower buds. Very excited to see the colour of the flowers.
More branches, more flower buds.

Yellow flowers were the first to appear.
Pink flowers appearing too. I was overjoyed because I have plants from both colours growing!
 Such a sweet beige colour.
 Initially I was worried about the curled leaves but later they turned out well. 
It is named 4 o'clock flowers because the flowers only open late afternoon around 4 o'clock. The flowers are closed for the first part of the day. Everyday we get new flowers blooming.
They like warm weather and my plants are exposed to full sun.
I have read from the internet that the flowers especially the red ones can used as food colouring and the juice extracted from the leaves are used for healing of wounds and inflamation.
 The black seeds can be easily collected to propagate new plants. Seedlings grow easily from seeds that dropped onto the surrounding area.
It is claimed that the seeds are poisonous but they are used for traditional healing in crushed powdered form. I grow these plants for their pretty flowers and not for their medicinal uses.

Linking to Flower Wednesday.

If a child asks his father for a loaf of bread,
will he be given a stone instead?
If he asks for fish, will he be given a poisonous snake?
Of course not! And if you hard-hearted,
sinful men know how to give good gifts to your children,
won't your Father in heaven even more certainly
give good gifts to those who ask him for them?
(Matthew 7:9-11, The Living Bible-TLB)

46 comments:

  1. Nancy, I haven't seen a beige colour 4 o'clock flower ever before...it looks beautiful too:) Your garden must be so lovely and full of colours from these plants! Have a beautiful day today:)

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    1. Thank you, Annie. The beige colour was a surprise because I wasn't expecting it from a yellow flowering plant. Have a beautiful day too!

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  2. Interesting name. I mostly seen those flowers open in the mornin and close in the evening. Not the other way round.

    Love the colours especially pink.

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    1. Thank you, Rose. So far I have seen a few flowers that bloom in the late afternoon. Have a great day!

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  3. Nancy, they are such pretty flowers! I like the pink one best.

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  4. Lindas flores e belas fotografias.
    Um abraço e boa semana.
    Andarilhar

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  5. ...so many beautiful colors.

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  6. Beautiful flowers and enjoy this time of the afternoon, the other closes. Regards.

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  7. I must get gardening tips from you when i get to meet you...

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    1. You are most welcome, Sharon. My tips are all very simple!

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  8. Wonderful flowers, I never saw them before:-) Thank you for sharing :-)

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  9. Gorgeous flowers and plants! :)

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  10. A new plant to me, but wow they are gorgeous. Great photos as well Diane

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  11. You have a most beautiful green thumb which has produced a beautiful garden full of vivid colors.

    Have a fabulous day Nancy. ☺

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  12. They really are pretty flowers in a wonderful array of colour.

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  13. How exciting to see the baby seedlings grow and mature into such lovely four o'clocks. Beautiful!

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    1. Thank you, Mary. That is the wonderful part of gardening, to see the seedlings coming forth and growing into a mature plants. Have a beautiful day!

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  14. Interesting post my dear, thank you for sharing :-)

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  15. We have many of these bushes in our yard, and they bloom every year. Ours are red and yellow. Yours are beautiful!

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    1. Thank you, Ginny. We had these plants many years ago and now they are back in our garden.

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  16. Nancy, you are amazing with flowers! These are so pretty.

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  17. Beautiful flowers.. here it is called Marvel of Peru..

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  18. I was going to ask you about the name of the flowers when I read the part you have already explained it. Lovely flowers. I like all the colours.

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    1. Thank you, Mun. Even though these are quite common plants, their colours are very pretty and bright!

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  19. This plant is unknown to me but I love the yellow! Thank you for linking Nancy.

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    1. Yellow is Dillon's favorite color

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    2. Thank you, Riitta. Have a lovely day!

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    3. Thank you, Wigglemania for your visit. Have a good day!

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