4 O'clocks are one of the toughest plants I've seen. Nothing kills them. This picture was taken at my parent's house in Walker and the 4 o'clocks are over 5 feet tall. These plants have been growing in this flower bed for several years and they have pushed many plants out of their way and taken over the flower bed.
I don't like 4 o'clocks and I've tried to kill these plants several times. I dug most of the tubers out of the bed, thinking that would control them. Didn't work. They came back just as strong next spring. Then I tried spraying Round Up. That made a few leaves turn brown and fall off, but it didn't kill the plants. Since then, I have given up in my war against 4 o'clocks.
There is one redeeming quality of 4 o'clocks.....moths love the flowers. I'm pretty sure Hummingbird Moths like this plant. My favorite moth is the Luna Moth. When I lived in Clinton, LA I'd see this moth all the time. We lived in the middle of the woods and Luna Moths like to live in hardwood forests. Haven't seen any in St. Gabriel.....probably too much sugarcane.
They do smell delicious at night! Not to rub salt in a wound, but I cannot get them to grow here! gail
ReplyDeleteWhere do you live? They grow like weeds down here!
ReplyDeleteYes, in the late afternoon, their fragrance is most enchanting. They aren't aggressive here, but I agree, they are difficult to kill. Perhaps it's because they return by seed and tuber.~~Dee
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