Colorado Four o'Clock
Mirabilis multiflora
Its massive, tuberous taproot can grow to the size of a human torso, weighing over 40 pounds, which acts as a giant underground water reservoir during droughts.
- Scientific name
- Mirabilis multiflora
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Caryophyllales › Nyctaginaceae › Mirabilis
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- desert
- Habitat
- Dry, rocky slopes, pinyon-juniper woodlands, and desert scrublands at elevations of 2,500 to 7,500 feet.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (photosynthesis, drawing water and minerals via a deep taproot)
- Range
- Colorado Plateau, Sonoran Desert, Chihuahuan Desert, Utah, New Mexico, Northern Mexico
- Size
- Sprawling, rounded clumps up to 1 meter (3 feet) tall and 2 meters (6 feet) wide.
- Lifespan
- 20-50 years
- Active
- crepuscular
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation, land development, overgrazing, and competition from invasive plant species.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless to touch and safe to observe at any distance. However, the roots and seeds contain mild toxins and should never be ingested. If consumed by humans or pets, monitor for mild gastrointestinal distress and contact medical professionals or poison control if symptoms persist.
Mirabilis multiflora is a species of flowering plant in the four o'clock family known by the common name Colorado four o'clock . It is native to the southwestern United States from California to Colorado and Texas, as well as far northern Mexico, where it grows in mostly dry habitat types in a number of regions. It is a perennial herb growing upright to about 80 centimetres (31 in) in maximum height. The leaves are oppositely arranged on the...
Photo: J Brew, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
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