Anyone grow Mirabilis jalapa 4 o'clocks in the low country?

I was sent some seeds but from what I have read these may grow a little to well around here. Wondering if anyone has some experience with them? I don't want it to be invasive.

I do! They can be invasive but you can just pull out the ones you don't want. I think they are pretty plants and they will reseed each year with absolutely no care.
Give them a try--I bet you'll like them.

For what I'm doing I think they would work well. I have a spot that's probably 50 by 20 that has 2 40 ft pines, 2 30-40 ft river brich, a japanese peanutbutter tree and some EE's scattered around. I'm trying to pack the open space with color so I'm growing a bunch of hardy hibiscus(many different colors). The 4 o'clocks look like they would fit in well. I'm also putting in a few different camellias for winter color. I haven't figured out what exact camellia I need to keep one blooming all through the winter. When I figure that all out I'll fill in the gaps with some other flower plants.

It's a plan. LOL.

i have a lot of questions: wher did you get them around here? what is a japanese peanutbutter tree? what are EE's?
i got some from a Master gardener sale in Lexington, SC, and when i planted them, they died dack in the winter, but never came back, and i couldnt figure out where i put them so i could check on them. i guess we should give them another try...

http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/772/index.html

EE's= elephant ears http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/53957/index.htmlI have a few different ones.

I got the 4 o'clocks from tubbss5, she through them in with some hardy hibiscus seeds. Those should over winter around here, I'm surprised they didn't come back. I'll have seeds to trade in the fall if I can get them growing. http://davesgarden.com/trading/view/search.php?search_text=PFPID:92

This is your link to Japanese Peanutbutter shrub
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/772/

4 o clocks can be bought at walmart.

my 4 o clocks are just now coming back. ever flower produces a seed. but i love them and they help with the japenese bettle problems. natural killer.


ees i have never had come back unless they are in a container i put in the garage over winter. too much rain i guess.

I planted a couple of packages of varigated 4-O'clocks about 10 years ago around a pecan tree and they have come back every year since. They haven't presented any problem with coming up anywhere else. I love them since they crowd out the weeds, provide a bit of color and require absolutely NO work, once planted.

My EE's have no problem coming back year after year. I'm a little warmer than you are but I'm surprised they don't come back? They love water so unless they never dry out I don't think water would be the problem.

This message was edited May 7, 2007 4:53 PM

we tried some elephant ears up in Lexington, SC and we didnt have much success at all. they would do fine one year, and then not come back the next. these were the "Black Magic" and "Illustrous" hybrids, but 2 miles down the road i planted a normal green one at my grandparents' house, and it did just fine. i have no clue as to why. i treated them both the same.

This message was edited May 7, 2007 3:32 PM

Don't know about Hilton Head, but in Charleston, they're anything but invasive. I planted a bunch of seed many years ago in a daylilly bed figuring they'd pick up the color in the summer when the daylillies died down. Didn't happen. Got one good season out of them, and they were never to be seen again. I gave up on them. They never did set seed. Then a friend of mine (a "pro") was ripping up her beds and asked me if I wanted some. I took a bunch of roots and planted them. One lived, and seems to be happy. All others disappeared. These things were a weed to me up north, but they seem well behaved in our heat. Don't think you'll have an invasiveness problem.