Marbles Mixed Four O'clock is an extravagant heirloom flower mixture that brings pure botanical chaos to the garden, each bloom a one-of-a-kind masterpiece striped and splashed with contrasting colors. This tender perennial (zones 10-11) produces flowers in yellows, reds, oranges, and whites, all swirled together in patterns that make every plant look like it was hand-painted. True to its name, these beauties open in the late afternoon and close by morning, creating a daily show. The plants thrive in full sun with moderate water and can reach their full glory in just 7-14 days from germination, with optimal growth between 65-75°F.
Full Sun
Moderate
10-11
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Moderate
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Each flower in the Marbles Mixed collection is genuinely different, no two blooms follow the same color pattern. The extravagant striping and splashing across yellows, reds, oranges, and whites gives gardeners the rare pleasure of growing something that feels wild and unpredictable, even though it germinates reliably and quickly. These tender perennials will often reseed themselves year after year, transforming into a spontaneous feature of the garden that seems to paint itself anew each season.
Four O'clocks are grown primarily as ornamental flowering plants, prized for their vibrant, variegated blooms that punctuate late afternoon gardens. The Marbles Mixed variety fills beds, borders, and containers with botanical intrigue, gardeners often plant them specifically to watch the color diversity unfold across the season, knowing that self-seeding will create new surprises year after year.
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Start seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before your last frost date at temperatures between 65-80°F. Plant seeds 1/8 inch deep in seed-starting mix, keeping the soil lightly moist. Expect germination in 7-14 days. Harden off seedlings gradually over 7-10 days before transplanting.
Transplant outdoors after all danger of frost has passed, when soil has warmed to at least 60°F. Space plants 12 inches apart in a sunny location. Handle seedlings gently to avoid damaging the delicate root systems.
Sow seeds directly outdoors after your last frost date where plants are to bloom. Cover seeds lightly with soil (1/8 inch depth), water gently, and keep soil consistently moist until germination occurs in 7-14 days.
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“Marbles Mixed Four O'clock traces its lineage to Mirabilis jalapa, a species native to Mexico that has enchanted gardeners worldwide for centuries. This particular cultivar represents the culmination of selective breeding to emphasize the dramatic color combinations and variegation patterns that make the 'Marbles' series so visually striking. As an heirloom variety, it carries within it the patience and vision of generations of seed savers who recognized that the most beautiful forms of this flower deserved to be preserved and shared.”