The Twilight Garden by Lia Leendertz

Author:Lia Leendertz
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2014-05-02T00:00:00+00:00

Mirabilis jalapa

MARVEL OF PERU, FOUR O’CLOCK PLANT

Situation Full sun

Hardiness Frost-hardy (USDA zone 9)

Soil type Well drained

Height 60 cm/24 in

Spread 60 cm/24 in

Propagation Sow seed in spring or from divisions in spring

Flowering period Throughout summer

Mirabilis jalapa, which goes by the impressive common name of marvel of Peru, is one of the few night-scented plants with colourful flowers. But if you think this would make it good for bringing a splash of daytime colour to a garden designed for evening, you’d be wrong. Its other common name is four o’clock plant: the flowers stay tightly closed until late afternoon, then the cool of the evening triggers them to open. The flowers are vibrant deep pink, paler pink, yellow and white, all on the same plant, and they can change colour as they age – yellow to pink, white to purple. They’re also strongly fragrant, with a sweet, orange-blossom-like scent. Come morning, the individual flowers wither and die, but throughout summer there is always a succession of flowers waiting to bloom the following evening.

These are perennial plants that are just about frost-hardy, meaning that they will survive a fall in temperature to –5°C/23°F. The first light frost cuts the top growth down. The tuber that is left in the ground may survive the winter, particularly in mild areas and if the ground has been covered in a thick, dry mulch, such as bark chippings, after the plant has died back. Alternatively, you can lift the tuber after the first frosts and overwinter it as you might a dahlia tuber. Brush off the dirt, nestle it in some sawdust or vermiculite and store it in a dark, frost-free place until early spring. Then bring it out, plant it up and water it, keeping it in a frost-free place until all danger of frost has passed.

But mirabilis will grow quickly and flower freely in its first year when grown from seed, and that is how it is usually treated. The seeds are large and germinate easily. Sow them in early spring in a frost-free place, pricking them out into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and planting them out after the last frosts. Choose a spot that receives full sun, is sheltered and has a reasonably well-drained soil. Alternatively, you can plant them into containers, which will allow you to bring them up close to seating areas where the scent can be appreciated. In autumn it is easy to save the big, black seeds for growing the following year. Store these in a cool, dry place.

When the plants are young, the new growth is particularly susceptible to aphids. Check young plants frequently and squash any aphids you see. If you get a bad infestation, it can really slow growth, particularly when the plant is young and just getting going. Frequent misting of the plant with a very mild detergent solution (a small drop of washing-up liquid to a mister of water) can help keep aphids under control.

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