I found out why my 4 o'clocks were not blooming.

Discussion in 'Flower Gardening' started by gfreiherr, Sep 4, 2010.

  1. gfreiherr

    gfreiherr Young Pine

    Joined:
    Oct 12, 2009
    Messages:
    1,346
    Likes Received:
    339
    Location:
    Knoxville, Tennessee
    I couldn't figure out why I never saw the flowers open on my four o'clocks. All I ever saw was the closed up flower in the morning so I knew they were blooming. I found this article and figured it out.

    "Though they are called Four O'Clocks, they bloom a good bit later than 4 p.m. - it's really more like 6 p.m. here. Rather than light bringing them into bloom every evening, they are actually responding to temperature change, and on cooler cloudy days they will open earlier and close later in the morning. Pollinated flowers will close earlier than non-pollinated flowers, explaining to some extent the success this plant has in dropping viable seed. Four O'Clocks sport trumpet-shaped flowers in vivid colors, as noted above, and grow to shrub size - about 3 feet or more with similar width. Bloom time is mid summer until frost. Each flower is followed by a hard black seed about the size of a peppercorn. The flowers are the perfect shape for hummingbirds, and also attract butterflies and bees."

    We had an excessively hot summer so the temperature did not really drop at night and it was. We have had our first beautiful day in months with cooler temps and look what I saw this morning. :D

    [​IMG]
    ( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )





    [​IMG]
    ( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )

    [​IMG]
    ( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )



    Just thought I would share in case anyone else had this problem.
     
  2. Loading...


  3. drissel122

    drissel122 In Flower

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2009
    Messages:
    258
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Southern New Jersey
    Glad to know this since my four o'clocks do exactly the same!
     
  4. Kay

    Kay Girl with Green Thumbs

    Joined:
    Dec 30, 2009
    Messages:
    2,332
    Likes Received:
    752
    Location:
    Lincoln, Nebraska
    I like your blooming 4 o'clocks! Especially the lavender/purplish ones!
    I have some yellow, white and pink ones that keep reseeding each year. They were the first flower seeds I planted in my un-landscaped yard the first year we lived here, because I knew they would take off and grow easily. I love the seeds, my kids used to love to collect them and plant them the following spring.
    Good info on the blooming too. We too here in NE. are finally getting out of the hot, hot summer days and have had some beautiful weather. (Just in time for football) :p
     
  5. Sjoerd

    Sjoerd Mighty Oak

    Joined:
    Apr 11, 2006
    Messages:
    20,114
    Likes Received:
    18,642
    Those are good fotos, Gail. It is nice that you finally get to see them.
    They are a beautiful flower, to be sure--but that fragrance...Oh me, oh my, how refreshing that is!
     



    Advertisement
  6. eileen

    eileen Resident Taxonomist Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2005
    Messages:
    29,088
    Likes Received:
    6,277
    Location:
    Scotland
    Well those were certainly worth waiting for weren't they? I love the colours and am so glad you got photographs of them and let us all see them. :stew1:
     
  7. cherylad

    cherylad Countess of Cute-ification Plants Contributor

    Joined:
    May 5, 2009
    Messages:
    11,679
    Likes Received:
    3,099
    Location:
    S. Liberty County - Texas (8B)
    One of my neighbors has a beautiful 4 o'clock. I keep meaning to ask if I can steal some seeds. Or can you get cuttings from them? I'd really like to have some ready to plant in the spring.
     
  8. gfreiherr

    gfreiherr Young Pine

    Joined:
    Oct 12, 2009
    Messages:
    1,346
    Likes Received:
    339
    Location:
    Knoxville, Tennessee
    Cheryl...I think you need to do seeds. I started mine from seed, they produce a seed like a large peppercorn.
     
  9. cherylad

    cherylad Countess of Cute-ification Plants Contributor

    Joined:
    May 5, 2009
    Messages:
    11,679
    Likes Received:
    3,099
    Location:
    S. Liberty County - Texas (8B)
    If it's not raining when I get home, I'll walk over and see if there's any seeds she'll let me steal.
     
  10. Petronius

    Petronius Young Pine

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2018
    Messages:
    1,344
    Likes Received:
    608
    If Four O'Clocks are planted close to the building foundation, does this affect their blooming?
     
  11. samuraisuki

    samuraisuki New Seed

    Joined:
    May 3, 2018
    Messages:
    15
    Likes Received:
    10
    Beautiful four o'clocks!

    I just planted some of these in a DIY seed tray and I'm so excited to see them come in.
     
  12. Netty

    Netty Chaotic Gardener Plants Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2006
    Messages:
    18,338
    Likes Received:
    5,156
    Location:
    Southern Ontario zone 5b
    I love 4 Oclocks! I save the tubers and re-plant each spring. This makes for some HUGE plants!
     
  13. purpleinopp

    purpleinopp Young Pine Plants Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2012
    Messages:
    1,258
    Likes Received:
    818
    Location:
    Opp, AL, 8b
    If one puts afternoon-blooming plants on the east side, they will bloom sooner because they are in the shadows sooner. If they are in the sun until sundown, the bloom will happen later in the day.

    Conversely, if one puts morning bloomers like morning glories on the west side, the direct sun won't hit them until later in the day, prolonging the bloom well past sunrise.
     

Share This Page