How to Grow Four O’Clock Flower (Gul Abbas), Safely, in a Pot
How to grow four o clock flower (gul abbas, Mirabilis jalapa)? It is about the easiest flower you can grow from seed: soak the big black seeds overnight, sow them from March to May or with the monsoon, and by summer evenings the plant opens fragrant trumpets in pink, yellow, white or striped mixes. Two things to know first: its black seeds and tuberous roots are poisonous if eaten, and it seeds itself so freely it can become a weed.
Gul abbas in brief
- Type: tender perennial with a tuber, grown as an annual in frost areas
- Methods: seed (easy), or replanting the tuber
- Sowing (plains): March to May, and June to July
- Pot: 10 to 15 litres (12 inch) for one plant; it gets big
- Sun: full sun to part shade
- Flowers open: late afternoon to evening, close next morning
- Safety: seeds and roots toxic; keep from children and pets
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Should you grow it? The quick verdict
Plant it if you want fast, scented evening colour and the household has no toddler or seed chewing dog. Maybe, in a pot only, if you have small children: strip off the seeds weekly and keep the pot out of reach. Skip it in a bed next to a lawn or vegetable plot, where self sown seedlings will pop up for years.
| Zone | Verdict | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Karachi, coastal | Plant | Perennial; grows back from its tuber each year |
| Multan, Sukkur, Bahawalpur | Plant | Copes with heat; flowers best in evening shade |
| Lahore, Faisalabad, Delhi | Plant | Tops die in winter; tuber usually survives in ground |
| Islamabad, Peshawar | Plant, lift tubers | Frost can kill the tuber in wet ground |
| Hills | Plant, lift tubers | Summer flower only |
When to sow four o’clock seeds in Pakistan and North India
- Karachi: February to August.
- Multan, Sukkur, Bahawalpur: March to April, and July.
- Lahore, Faisalabad, Delhi: March to May, and June to July.
- Islamabad, Peshawar: April to June.
- Hills: May to June.
Seed or nursery seedling?
Seed, without question. The seeds are large, sprout quickly and grow fast. Nurseries rarely sell gul abbas because anyone with a plant has more seed than they can use; ask a neighbour. Nursery seedlings only make sense if you want one particular colour.
How to grow four o’clock flower from seed, step by step
- Soak the seeds overnight in plain water. North Carolina State Extension notes overnight soaking speeds germination. Wash your hands after handling them.
- Fill a 12 inch pot with 2 parts soil, 1 part compost, 1 part sand (see potting mix ratios).
- Sow 2 or 3 seeds about 0.5 to 1 cm deep. Gul abbas grows a tap root and tuber, so sow it where it will stay rather than in trays.
- Keep damp. In warm weather seedlings often appear within a week.
- Keep the strongest one. It will be a bushy plant 60 to 90 cm tall within a couple of months.
For more on seed raising in general, see seed starting at home.
Care through the seasons
- Sun: full sun gives most flowers; in Multan and Sukkur, afternoon shade keeps leaves fresh.
- Water in spring: when the top 3 cm is dry.
- 45°C summer: water at dawn, daily for pots. Leaves droop at midday and lift in the evening.
- Monsoon: it likes moisture but not standing water; empty saucers.
- Winter and frost: tops yellow and die back. Cut them down, water lightly, and either leave the tuber or lift it (below).
- Feeding: modest. A handful of compost each month is enough. Rich feeding gives a huge leafy bush with fewer blooms.
Pinching is optional; the plant branches well on its own. If it gets floppy, cut back a third in mid summer. There’s no real need to deadhead for flowers, but removing seeds controls spread.
Keep your best colour with the tuber
Plants from seed may come up in any colour. If you love one plant, keep its tuber. After the tops die in autumn, dig it up with gloves on, brush off the soil, dry it in shade for a few days, and store it in dry sand or newspaper in a cool, dry spot until spring. Replant in March, and it regrows the same colour and flowers sooner than seedlings. NC State recommends lifting before frost where winters are cold and replanting after frost.
Why is my four o’clock not flowering?
- You’re looking at the wrong time: flowers open late afternoon and close by the next morning. Check at sunset.
- Too much shade or fertiliser: big leaves, few buds.
- Too young: seedlings usually take a couple of months.
- Root bound pot: the tuber fills small pots fast; move it up a size.
Is gul abbas annual or perennial?
It is a perennial that dies back to its tuber each winter. In frost free Karachi it simply comes back. In Lahore and Delhi the tuber usually survives in well drained ground. In Islamabad, Peshawar and the hills, frost and cold wet soil often kill it, so lift the tuber or grow it as an annual from seed.
Pests and problems
NC State lists no significant pest or disease problems, and that matches most balconies. Aphids may cluster on new shoots in spring; wash them off. In very wet, heavy soil the tuber can rot. The real “problem” is self seeding: the black seeds drop and sprout everywhere, so pull young volunteers while they are small.
NC State lists the roots and seeds as poisonous. Swallowing them can cause stomach pain, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea, and handling the roots can irritate skin. The seeds look like peppercorns, which makes them attractive to toddlers. Keep plants out of reach of small children and pets, wear gloves when lifting tubers, and wash hands after collecting seed. If a child or pet swallows seeds or root, remove what’s left in the mouth and call a doctor, poison helpline or vet; seek urgent care for repeated vomiting, drowsiness or trouble breathing. For other risky garden plants, see poisonous plants for kids and pets.
How to save four o’clock seeds
- A few days after a flower fades, a hard, wrinkled seed forms at its base, green at first, then black.
- Pick seeds when black and they come away with a light touch. Wear gloves or wash your hands after.
- Dry them in shade for a week and store in a labelled paper envelope, out of children’s reach.
Seeds often keep for a couple of years.
Four o’clock flower questions
Why is it called the four o’clock flower?
Because the flowers open in the late afternoon or early evening, around four to six o’clock, and close by the next morning.
How long does four o’clock take to flower from seed?
Usually about two months in warm weather, sometimes a little more. Plants from a stored tuber flower sooner.
When should I sow gul abbas seeds?
March to May or June to July on the plains, after an overnight soak. Karachi can sow from February.
Can I grow four o’clock in a pot?
Yes, in a 12 inch pot or larger. Small pots fill with tuber quickly and the plant stops flowering well.
Is the four o’clock plant poisonous to dogs and cats?
Its seeds and roots are poisonous and can cause stomach upset. Keep pets away and remove seeds regularly.
Does gul abbas come back every year?
Yes, from its tuber in mild areas. In frost zones, lift the tuber in autumn and replant in spring.
Why do four o’clock flowers have different colours on one plant?
It is a well known plant for mixed and striped flowers on the same bush, caused by its genetics. It’s normal and part of its charm.
Is four o’clock flower invasive?
It can be weedy, because it self seeds heavily. Pick seeds before they drop if you want to keep it to one pot.
Gul abbas ka paudha kaise lagaye?
Kale beej raat bhar bhigo kar aadha se ek cm gehre bara gamle mein bo dein, dhoop dein, aur beej bachon se door rakhein kyun ke beej aur jarr zehreele hain.
More flowers in Phool aur Paudhe.