Broken Colors Four O'Clock Seeds

This popular garden flower earned its name because of its habit of opening in late afternoon; this unique characteristic is caused by fluctuations in temperature and light. The genus name "Mirabilis" comes from the Latin word for "wonderful," while the species name "jalapa" refers to an often used name for locations in South and Central America. Founding father Thomas Jefferson grew these flowers in his extensive estate gardens at Monticello, referring to them as the "fragrant marvel of Peru." Historians believe that the ancient Aztecs were the first to raise these flowers, which made their way to Europe by the early 18th century and were classified by Linnaeus in 1753.