Mirabilis jalapa Marbles Mix - seeds

Vigorous seedlings will grow from the large black seeds of these four o'clock flowers, also known as Mirabilis jalapa Marbles mix, and form a lush, well-branched bush in just three months. The bush has glossy green foliage and is crowned with trumpet-shaped flowers in a wide range of colours. Each flower is randomly splashed with cherry red. These incredible flowers open in the late afternoon, releasing a sweet fragrance, and close again when they are hit by the sun. These tender perennials are easy to sow and grow and are often treated as annuals. They thrive in fertile, moist soils and prefer a sunny position to semi-shady in warm climates.

Mirabilis jalapa, also known as Marvel of Peru, is a herbaceous perennial plant in the Nyctaginaceae family, native to dry tropical regions of Central and South America, such as Guatemala, Mexico, Chile, and Peru. It develops a large, black, tuberous root, which has traditional medicinal uses in various parts of the world. Four o'clock flowers are herbaceous perennials that grow to 80 cm (32in) high, sometimes more, and occupy a ground surface of 40 to 60 cm (16 to 24in). They are not very hardy, but their fast growth allows them to be grown as annuals. In our climates, they disappear in winter and bloom from June to October, but in the tropics, they are perennial and bloom all year round. The 'Marbles' selection is distinguished by the surprising colouration of its trumpet-shaped flowers: on a background of yellow, pink, magenta red, white, or bright pink, there are splashes or streaks of cherry red. Some flowers appear perfectly bicoloured. Like the wild species, the flowers open in the evening and close the next day when the sun hits them. They emit a sweet fragrance from dusk until the middle of the night. This particular characteristic has given the plant its common name of the Four o'clock flower. Its fragrant flowers have fluorescent pigments that create patterns on the corolla and attract pollinating moths. The black fruit appears at the base of the flower once it has fallen. The green to reddish stems are solid, quadrangular, fleshy and thickened at the nodes and bear opposite, ovate leaves with rounded or slightly heart-shaped bases. The leaves are glossy medium green, lighter on chalky soil and in full sun.

Four o'clock flowers can be used in mass plantings with roses, for example, at the base of walls exposed to the east or south for a large part of the growing season. They also grow very well in large, deep pots, with regular watering and fertiliser. They can be grown like dahlias, and their tubers can be overwintered frost-free in a sandy mix.