Four o'clocks (Mirabilis jalapa) feature lush foliage and bright afternoon-blooming flowers that add color to sunny and partially shaded gardens. These tender perennials grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11, but you can enjoy them in any climate as annuals. Four o'clocks produce large seeds that are simple to collect, store and germinate so you can propagate your favorite and healthiest plants at no cost.
Select a healthy four o'clock plant that is blooming well. Monitor the flowers on the selected plants and begin checking for seeds once the petals fall off naturally.
Separate the green leaves that were around the base of each flower before the petals fell. Locate the large black seed nestled in the center of the old flower.
Slip the seed out of the center of each dead flower with your thumb. Alternatively, snip off the old flower heads then remove the seeds from the old flower heads.
Spread the seeds out on a paper plate in a single layer. Dry them in a low-moisture, warm area out of direct sunlight for five to seven days.
Store the seeds in a tightly sealed jar or container in a cool, dark area until planting. Label the container with the four o'clock variety and year harvested.
Things You Will Need
- Paper plate
- Storage container with lid
- If the flowers drop the seeds before you can collect them, cover the flowers with a cheesecloth bag just as the petals begin to wilt. The bag will catch the seeds if they fall out before harvest.
- All parts of the four o'clock, including the seeds, are poisonous if ingested.
- Save seeds from open-pollinated four o'clocks, since hybrid four o'clocks may not come true from seed.