Four O'Clock Seeds

With trumpet shaped blooms atop bushy stems, four o'clock flowers bring unique and showy characteristics to any garden, earning their name for blooming in the late afternoon. These blooms vary in color, from magenta and purple to yellow and white; sometimes one plant may display a few different colors. Growing to be 12 to 36 inches in height, four o'clocks bright hues and sweet scent will attract bees, hummingbirds, and other pollinators!

• 8 four o'clock seed varieties
• Attracts butterflies and other pollinators
• Bloom in the late afternoon and evening, hence the common name
• Tuberous-rooted perennials offering shades of pink, magenta, lavender, yellow, and white

Four o'clocks are among the most vivid, fragrant, and strong of all flowers that can be grown from seed, and are so named because they often bloom late in the afternoon. They're also quite adaptable, since the seeds of the four o'clock may be planted directly in the ground, in pots, or in other containers like barrels. For late summer/early fall flowers, sow four o'clock seeds in the spring.

Can't decide which color to add to your garden? Check out Eden Brothers' Mixed Colors Four O'Clock Seeds for blooms of yellow, white, pink, magenta, and purple! Or try the Four O'Clock Bicolor Seed Mix for marbled and streaked blooms, adding a beautiful uniqueness to your yard!

Nick the seed coating and soak your seeds overnight the day before planting. Sow your four o'clock seeds directly into the garden after the threat of frost has passed. These blooms perform best in full sun conditions, though they will tolerate some shade. If you notice a spindly growing pattern, consider moving the plants into an area with more sun. Be sure to plant four o'clock seeds in an area with rich, well-draining, and loamy soil.

Four o' clock seeds should be planted about 1/4 inch deep and 12 inches apart from other seeds. As they sprout, thin your plants to be about two feet apart.

Early into four o'clocks establishing themselves, pinch back the main shoot to encourage bushier growth. While four o'clocks are mostly self-sufficient and require little maintenance, they do require soil that is consistently moist. After the killing frost, these plants will die back, but if debris is left in the planting area, these beauties will return season after season.

As mentioned previously, four o'clock flowers are very low maintenance. In addition to this, they are drought-tolerant, poor soil-tolerant, and extremely easy to grow in general.

Four o'clocks grow best with other drought-tolerant plants such as morning glories, daylilies, and moonflowers.

For more information about planting, growing, and caring for four o'clock flower seed, see the Four O'Clock Seeds Planting Guide.