Mirabilis longiflora – Sweet Four O'Clock

Mirabilis longiflora - Sweet Four O'Clock, Longtube Four O'Clock, Maravilla

Mirabilis longiflora - Sweet Four O'Clock, Longtube Four O'Clock, Maravilla

Plant Name

Scientific Name: Mirabilis longiflora

Common Names: Sweet Four O'Clock, Longtube Four O'Clock, Maravilla

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial

Growth Habit: Herb/Forb

Arizona Native Status: Native

Habitat: Desert (upper elevation), Upland, Riparian. It is most common in rocky, foothill canyons with some flowing water in the summertime.

Flower Color: White to tinged pink

Flowering Season: Summer, Fall (early). This wildflower blooms after the summer monsoon rains.

Height: To 5 feet (1.5 m) tall

Description: The flowers are tubular, 6 inches (15 cm) or more long, and have a long, slender floral tube, 5 ruffled lobes, a magenta throat, and curling, magenta stamens that project up to 2 inches (5 cm) beyond the flowers. The flowers are nocturnal and open very late in the afternoon. The leaves are green, opposite, and ovate to heart-shaped. The roots are tuberous.

Special Characteristics

Butterfly Plant – The night-blooming flowers attract large hummingbird moths.

Fragrant – The flowers have a sweet nighttime fragrance, but they close up during the day.

Classification

Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass: Caryophyllidae
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Nyctaginaceae – Four o'clock family
Genus: Mirabilis L. – four o'clock
Species: Mirabilis longiflora L. – sweet four o'clock

More About This Plant

Arizona County Distribution Map