Mirabilis sp.
Four o'clock, Four O'Clock
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Trevor Van Loon · licence
Family: Nyctaginaceae · Type: Perennial · Variable; species dependent
Mirabilis sp. (Four o'clock) is a non-native California perennial in the Nyctaginaceae family.
How to tell it apart
vs Nicotiana: Mirabilis flowers sit in a cup of 5 green bracts; Nicotiana has true tubular flowers with 5-lobed petals.; vs Allionia: Mirabilis has 5 bracts and symmetrical flowers; Allionia has 3 bracts and 3 lopsided flowers.; vs Phacelia: Mirabilis flowers sit in green bract cups; Phacelia has coiled clusters with 5 separate petals and hairy leaves.; vs Petunia: Mirabilis has colorful sepals in bract cups; Petunia has fused true petals forming a funnel with capsule fruits.; vs Pelargonium: Mirabilis has opposite leaves and flowers in bract cups; Pelargonium has alternate leaves and 5 separate petals.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mirabilis sp. native to California?
No. Mirabilis sp. is not native to California (recorded as variable; species dependent).
What plant family does Mirabilis sp. belong to?
Mirabilis sp. is in the Nyctaginaceae family, genus Mirabilis.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Mirabilis tenuiloba — Slender-lobed four o'clock
- Mirabilis albida — Dwarf four o'clock
- Mirabilis alipes — Winged four o'clock
- Mirabilis coccinea — Red four o'clock
- Mirabilis greenei — Greene's four o'clock
- Mirabilis jalapa var. jalapa — Wishbone bush
- Nyctaginaceae sp. — Four o'clock family
- Tripterocalyx crux-maltae — Kellogg's sand-verbena
- Tripterocalyx micranthus — Small-flowered sand-verbena
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.