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Common Name: Wild Four O'clock Plant

General Information

Mirabilis nyctaginea is a perennial plant that can grow up to 1.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine..

Known Hazards

One report says that the plant is considered poisonous, but gives no details[].

Botanical References

,

Range

N. America - Wisconsin to Mexico.

Habitat

Prairies and rich soil[]. Often found in calcareous clay soils[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	1.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Requires a fertile well-drained soil in full sun or part-day shade[].
Plants flower in their first year from seed and, although they are not very hardy in Britain, they can either be grown as half-hardy annuals or the tubers can be harvested in the autumn and stored overwinter in a cool frost-free place in much the same manner as dahlias[].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The chewed root is used as a poultice for wounds, burns, sores, sprains etc[, , ]. A tea made from the roots is also used to treat burns, fevers and to expel worms[, , ].
A tea made from the leaves or the roots is used in the treatment of bladder ailments[]. Caution is advised in the use of this plant internally, see notes above on toxicity.

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in early summer, after the last expected frosts. The seed remains viable for several years[].
Division in spring as the plant comes into growth[].