Four-o-clock (四时花)
SKU: Nyctaginaceae
Annual herb up to 1 m tall.
Leaves are ovate or ovate-triangular (3-15 cm long, 2-9 cm wide).
Flowers are red, purple, white, yellow or variegated and trumpet shaped (2-6 cm long tube, 2.5-3 cm wide 'trumpet')
Black, round fruits are leathery and ribbed (5-8 mm wide).
SCIENTIFIC NAME
Mirabilis jalapa
COMMON NAME
Marvel of Peru, Four-o-clock, False Jalap, Bunga Pukul Empat, 四时花
CLASSIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS
Plant Division Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon) Plant Growth Form Shrub (Woody) Lifespan (in Singapore) Annual Mode of Nutrition Autotrophic Maximum Height 1 m PLANT CARE AND PROPAGATION
Light Preference Semi-Shade, Full Sun Water Preference Moderate Water Plant Growth Rate Fast Propagation Method Seed, Storage Organ (Tuberous Root) USES
- The roots are used in Chinese folk medicine as a purgative.
- The juice is extracted from the leaves and applied to wounds while a decoction is applied to abscesses.
- The leaves and seeds are used as a purgative.
- he flowers are used for making dyes.
Disclaimer
The information in this website is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.