How to grow four o'clock flowers? A detailed guide to the latest planting methods

The four o'clock flower is also known as yanzhi flower, fendou flower, wild clove, and zhuangyuan flower. It is an annual herbaceous plant of the genus Mirabilis in the family Nyctaginaceae, native to tropical America. It is often cultivated throughout northern and southern China as an ornamental flower, and sometimes escapes into the wild. Its roots and leaves can be used medicinally and have the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, promoting blood circulation and regulating menstruation, and tonifying the body. Now let us take a look at how to grow four o'clock flowers!

Growth habits of the four o'clock flower

The four o'clock flower prefers mild and humid climate conditions and is not cold-tolerant. In winter the aboveground part dies back, while in the Jiangnan region the underground part can overwinter safely and become a perennial herbaceous flower, sending up new plants again in spring the following year. For open-field cultivation, deep, loose, fertile loam is required; for container growing, ordinary flower potting mix can be used, and it grows even better in slightly shaded spots. The flowers open from evening to early morning and close under strong light. In summer, if there is shade from trees, it grows and blooms well; under intense midsummer sun it often drops leaves. It likes a well-ventilated environment and has a mosquito-repelling effect in summer.

Propagation methods of the four o'clock flower

1. Sowing: The four o'clock flower is propagated by seed. It is best to sow and raise seedlings in March to April. When the seedlings grow 2 to 4 leaves, transplant them, with a plant spacing of 50 to 80 cm as suitable. After transplanting, pay attention to shading. The four o'clock flower is easy to manage and grows readily; just pay attention to appropriate fertilizing and watering. The four o'clock flower is a wind-pollinated flower, and different varieties cross easily. If you want to maintain varietal characteristics, cultivate them in isolation.

2. Cuttings: For cutting propagation of the four o'clock flower, basal shoots, terminal buds, axillary buds, and the like can be used as cuttings. Among them, basal shoots have the strongest growth vigor, their varietal traits are less likely to degenerate, and they have strong disease resistance. Use sand, furnace slag, garden soil, and the like as the substrate. After cutting, control the temperature at about 20°C, and roots will form in 10 days. After rooting, move them into containers to grow into seedlings.

3. Tuberous roots: The tuberous roots of old four o'clock flower plants can be repeatedly propagated and used for 3 to 5 years, generally after the 2nd year the varietal traits gradually decline. South of the Yangtze River, the tuberous roots can overwinter safely and become bulb flowers. In areas where they cannot overwinter, after frost cut the plants off 3 to 5 cm above the ground, dig out the tuberous roots, air-dry them until the surface is dry, and place them in a dry place not exposed to direct sunlight. Do not water them all winter, keep the temperature at about 10°C, and after planting out the following year they will send out new plants again.

Planting methods for the four o'clock flower

1. Soil: For home container growing of the four o'clock flower, fertile sandy and semi-sandy soil is best. When planted in slightly acidic soil with a pH of 6 to 6.5, the root system is dense and growth is vigorous. If the soil is heavy clay, lacks organic matter, has low fertility, and has poor aeration, then the root system will be sparse, the plant short, the stems and leaves slender, and the flowers few and small.

2. Watering: The four o'clock flower is not drought-tolerant, but it also dislikes waterlogging. In rainy seasons, promptly pour out accumulated water in the pot, otherwise the leaves tend to turn yellow. In hot sunny summer days, water twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. If the leaves are found curled and drooping, spray water on the leaves to promote growth. In the rainy season, loosen the soil often so that no water accumulates in the pot. In spring and autumn, water thoroughly once every few days. In winter, just keep the potting soil moist; too much watering will cause the roots to turn black and rot and the leaves to yellow and drop.

3. Light: The four o'clock flower is a light-loving plant, and its growth and development require sufficient light. Long-day direct light is even more favorable for its growth and development. With strong light, the leaf color is deep green, the branches are thick and strong, there are many flower buds, the coloring is good, and the fragrance is strong. If light is insufficient or it is too shaded, the leaf color is pale green, the leaves are large and thin, photosynthetic products decrease, physiological activity is inhibited, the plant develops poorly, and flower yield is low and quality poor.

4. Temperature: The four o'clock flower is relatively sensitive to temperature and requires a warm, humid climate; it can adapt to relatively high temperatures but is not tolerant of low temperatures and has poor cold resistance. Below 10°C, growth is extremely slow, or even stops. It can sprout at about 19°C, and only above 25°C does it develop flower buds. At 30 to 40°C, flower bud formation and development are better. The suitable temperature for mature opening is 32 to 38°C.

5. Fertilizing: The hot midsummer season is the vigorous growth period of the four o'clock flower. Apply more organic fertilizer and phosphorus-potassium fertilizer, such as peanut cake powder, bone meal, superphosphate, and multi-element flower fertilizer, twice a month. During the summer growing period, the four o'clock flower often shows lush branches and leaves but no flowers. The main reason is applying too much nitrogen fertilizer, causing excessive vegetative growth. In this situation, control fertilizer and water, increase phosphorus-potassium fertilizer, and encourage flower bud formation. At the same time, be sure to move the four o'clock flower to a place with ample sunlight and good ventilation.

6. Pests and diseases: The four o'clock flower is often harmed by snout moth larvae, scale insects, and red spider mites, with July to September being the most serious. They often bore into and feed on flower buds. You can spray with all-purpose powder or fenvalerate diluted 200 times with water, once every half month, and spray even if no pests or diseases have occurred, so as to prevent them in advance. The best spraying times are 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on sunny days. Do not spray under the blazing midday sun to prevent phytotoxicity.

7. Pruning: The four o'clock flower grows very fast in summer, so prune it in time. For container-grown four o'clock flowers, prune and retain 10 cm to 15 cm of the base to encourage many thick new shoots. If the new shoots grow very vigorously, pinch them when they reach 10 cm to encourage secondary shoots, which will result in more flowers and a compact plant shape. After the flowers fade, promptly cut off the flowering branches to reduce nutrient consumption, and this can also encourage new shoots, making the branches dense, the buds numerous, and the blooms plentiful.