Colorado Four O'Clock
Colorado Four O'Clock - 6,500'
Mirabilis multiflora
I grew up in Pueblo West, Colorado and right up against our house and in our driveway, grew the Four O'Clock. There was s huge one under a Juniper Tree, which is where you will find them far and wide. They like each other. Every afternoon at Four O'Clock, as the desert heat just began to wane, the sprawling glossy-leafed plant would burst forth in a spectacular display of purple, like you've never seen. It isn't just the color, it's that sunset in the desert is a thing to behold, spreading an apricot light over the land that seems to attach to your skin. When that happens, Four O'Clock gleams and burns in the apricot light, just coming alive for those brief moments. It's an incredible sight.
Plant in spring or fall or stratify and try it in pots too. Expect 2-3 weeks for germination.Direct seed it under or just outside of a Juniper Tree or in a hot, lean spot. I don't find it much higher than 7,000 - 7,500 ft. It likes the heat. Long-lived Perennial.