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Created page with '{{SPlantbox |familia=Nyctaginaceae |genus=Mirabilis |species=jalapa |common_name=Four o'clock, Marvel of Peru |habit=herbaceous |Min ht box=3 |Min ht metric=ft |Max ht box=4 |Max…'
{{SPlantbox
|familia=Nyctaginaceae
|genus=Mirabilis
|species=jalapa
|common_name=Four o'clock, Marvel of Peru
|habit=herbaceous
|Min ht box=3
|Min ht metric=ft
|Max ht box=4
|Max ht metric=ft
|origin=S America
|poisonous=all parts
|lifespan=perennial
|exposure=sun
|water=moderate
|features=flowers, naturalizes, hummingbirds
|flower_season=mid summer, late summer, early fall, mid fall, late fall
|flowers=red, orange, yellow, multicolored, pink, white
|Temp Metric=°F
|min_zone=8
|max_zone=11
|sunset_zones=perennial in 4-9, 12-32, annual elsewhere
|image=Gul-Abas-4-O'clock plant.JPG
|image_width=240
}}
'''''Mirabilis jalapa''''' (The '''four o'clock flower''' or '''marvel of Peru''') is the most commonly grown ornamental species of ''Mirabilis'', and is available in a range of colours. ''Mirabilis'' in [[Latin]] means wonderful and [[Jalapa]] is a town in [[Mexico]]. ''Mirabilis jalapa'' is said to have been exported from the [[Peru]]vian [[Andes]] in 1540.

A curious aspect of this [[plant]] is that flowers of different colours can be found simultaneously on the same plant. Additionally, an individual flower can be splashed with different colours. Another interesting point is a colour-changing phenomenon. For example, in the yellow variety, as the plant matures, it can display flowers that gradually change to a dark [[pink]] color. Similarly [[white]] flowers can change to light [[violet (color)|violet]].

The flowers usually open from late afternoon onwards, hence the first of its common names.

==Cultivation==
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===Propagation===
[[Image:Seed_of_mirabilis_jalapa.JPG|thumb|Seed]]
Plant produces prolific amounts of seed, which can easily be kept and sown.

===Pests and diseases===
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==Species==
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==Gallery==
{{photo-sources}}<!-- remove this line if there are already 3 or more photos in the gallery -->

<gallery>
Image:Mirabilis jalapa13.jpg|
Image:Dziwaczek pospolity (Mirabilis jalapa).jpg|
Image:Mirabilis jalapa 3.JPG|
Image:2006-10-18Mirabilis jalapa02.jpg|
Image:Mirabilis jalapa16.jpg|Flecked flower
</gallery>

==References==
*[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963
<!--- xxxxx *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381 -->
<!--- xxxxx *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432 -->
<!--- xxxxx *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608 -->

==External links==
*{{wplink}}

{{stub}}
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