Four O'Clock Color Blast Seeds

Zones 9-10

• Four o’clock is an easy to grow flower with fragrant, trumpet-shaped blooms attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies, and more. A perennial in mild areas of Zones 9 and 10, it should be planted in the warm season once soils have warmed up to at least 65°F. Plants bloom from spring to fall.

Zones 2-8

• Grown as annual. Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost or sow seeds directly into the ground once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting Four O’Clock Seeds

• Seeds can be direct sown or transplanted in the spring.
• To direct sow, plant seeds in debris-free, well-worked soil that has been deeply watered. Cover with 1/4″ of finely sifted soil. 
• Four o’clock plants transplant very well. If you are planting seeds in starter pots, plant seeds into thoroughly moist high-quality seed starting soil. Place seeds on top of the soil and cover with 1/4″ of finely sifted soil. 
• Once your seeds have germinated and the first set of true leaves show, fertilize with an organic liquid fertilizer. Plant out into the garden when they are large enough and seedlings have been hardened off.
• Plant in full sun, in well-drained soil. Space plants 16-24″ apart.

Growing Four O’Clock

• This old-time flower grows easily. In areas of extreme heat, the plant will enjoy part shade. Adding compost to the soil will help create a healthy soil structure and retain soil moisture.

Growing Four O’Clock in Containers

• Four o’clock flowers may be planted in a container. Make sure your container is at least 20″ deep and large enough to accommodate a mature plant. Keep in mind containers will dry out faster because they have more surface area and less soil to hold onto moisture.  

Harvesting Four O’Clock Flowers

• Four o’clocks do not make good cut flowers. Their short-lasting flowers open around 4:00 in the afternoon and last until the morning. Leave flowers on the plant for pollinators to enjoy!

Southern California Pro-tips

• Four o’clocks are not fussy. They grow well in poor soil, are drought-tolerant, reseed easily, and perennialize in areas of Zones 9 and 10 with mild winters.
• Mulching heavily around your plants will help with weed suppression and moisture retention. 
• DO NOT overhead water as this promotes disease.

Companion Flowers/Crops

• Four o’clock flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, honey bees, and beneficial insects with fragrant blooms of many colors. Grow them against a back wall or fence for a lively blast of color! Shop all our flowers here.

Additional Learning Resources

• New to starting crops from seeds? Please watch our Seed Starting Presentation to learn the basics!
• Learn about growing all our crops on our YouTube page!
• Having pest issues? Check out in-depth information on garden pests at the UC Integrated Pest Management site.