The Genus Mirabilis
Four O’Clocks
Family: Nyctaginaceae
There are 63 species Mirabilis of mostly found in the Americas. There are about 14 species of Mirabilis in Arizona. The Mirabilis genus has around 29 species in North America. The genus name, Mirabilis, is Latin for miraculous or wonderful, alluding to the beauty of the plants.
Most species of Mirabilis are night-blooming and depend on moths for pollination. They also provide as larval food plants for many moths including the white-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata), as well as a few other species of geometer moths (family Geometridae), and sun moths (family Heliodinidae).
Most species are used as medicine.
Most of the species we grow are best in part sun (afternoon shade) and regular water with good drainage.
Oenothera caespitosa
Tufted Evening Primrose
Perennial plant growing about 2’ tall and wide. Despite the latin specific name referring to white flowers, ours in Arizona are usually pink to lavender to almost purple and blooming in the warm season, and as with most four o’clocks, starting at dusk and lasting until late morning the next day. Plants go dormant in the winter but come back from tuberous roots.
Part sun, moderate water, hardy to -40°F.
The species name, albida, means white, though the flower color ranges from white to pink or red-purple.
Found in dry meadows, sandy and rocky soils, and often on slopes, from 3,500-6,500 ft. throughout the United States and the southern Canadian provinces; south into Mexico.
Narrowleaf Four O'Clock
Mirabilis linearis
Perennial plant growing up to 3’ tall, often shorter. White to pink/purple flowers, and as with most four o’clocks, starting at dusk and lasting until late morning the next day. Plants go dormant in the winter but come back from tuberous roots.
Part sun, moderate water, hardy to -30°F.
The species name, linearis, refers to the linear shape of the leaves.
Found in open sandy, gravelly, or rocky soils and disturbed areas, from 1,000-9,000 ft. in the Great Plains and the valleys of the Rocky Mountain region; south to the central plateau of northern Mexico; sporadically introduced elsewhere, especially CA and parts of the midwest.
Wishbone Bush
Mirabilis laevis
Perennial plant from tuberous roots, growing up to 2+ feet tall. White to pink or lavender flowers in the warm season, opening at dusk and lasting until late morning the next day. Plants go dormant in the winter but come back from tuberous roots.
Full to part sun, moderate water, hardy to 15°F. There are many varieties and the westerly taxa from California are less cold hardy.
The species name, laevis, means smooth, free from hairs, or roughness.
Found on arroyo banks, rocky slopes, and brushlands from 500-7,000 ft. in California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico; south into Baja California and a little bit of Sonora.
Angel’s Trumpets
Mirabilis longiflora
Herbaceous perennial growing an average of 2-3’ tall. Blooms from dusk until the next late morning with very sweet-smelling, long tubular white flower.
Full to part sun, moderate water, hardy to -20°F. Plants will die back to the roots in winter, reemerge again in early spring.
The species name, longiflora, refers to the very long flowers.
Found in rocky canyons and on slopes from 2,500-9,000 ft. in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas; south into Mexico.
Oenothera macrocarpa
Big Fruit Evening Primrose
Growing a little bit over a foot high, but spreading about 3’ wide, this is an herbaceous perennial. Blooms from dusk until next late morning with purple flowers. Plants will die back to the ground, but reemerge in spring.
Full to part sun, moderate water, hardy to -30°F.
The species name, multiflora, means many-flowered.
Found in gravelly and sandy soils, from the creosote flats of the low desert to the chaparral, and into the ponderosa forests from 500-8,500 ft. in California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, south through Arizona, New Mexico, and southwestern Texas, into northern Mexico.