Plant ID card |
|
|---|---|
Botanical name |
Mirabilis jalapa. |
Common name |
Belle of the night, Wonder of Peru, "Four o'clock" plant. |
Family |
Nyctaginaceae. |
Origin |
Peru. |
Dimensions |
The night beauty can measure up to approximately 1 m high. |
Foliage |
The deciduous foliage of the night beauty is composed of oval, opposite leaves measuring between 5 and 10 cm long. They are an intense green color. |
Bloom |
The belle de nuit is adorned with abundant flowering from June until September. Its flowers take the shape of small trumpets of around 5 cm and give off a sweet, fragrant smell. They cover a wide range of colors, ranging from white to red, including pink and yellow. They have the particularity of opening at the end of the afternoon and until sunrise. |
Fruiting |
Once faded, the flowers give way to small black fruits containing the seeds of the night beauty. They reseed spontaneously. |
Exposure |
Although partial shade may suit it, the night beauty loves sunny exposures. Be sure to shelter it from cold winds. |
Ground |
The night beauty grows easily in ordinary soil as long as it is rich in humus, light and well drained. |
Rusticity |
-5°C. |
Endowed with rapid growth and beautiful flowering which blooms once night falls, the belle de nuit is a plant which enhances gardens, terraces and balconies. It is found a lot along the Charentes coast, and particularly on the Ile de Ré.
Where to plant a night beauty?
If the night beauty is an easy plant to grow, choosing your location carefully will give you the best chance of enjoying its magnificent flowers:
Location:
because it loves light and warmth, the night beauty will particularly appreciate being planted in full sun and sheltered from cold winds. However, it can also adapt to a location in partial shade, especially in regions with a mild climate. This will allow you to enjoy its beautiful flowering a little longer;
Planting:
particularly decorative with its abundant flowering, the night beauty is magnificent in beds, on borders but also in pots or even in planters to adorn gardens, terraces and balconies;
Exposure:
to the extent that the flowers of the night beauty open when the light is reduced, giving it an eastern exposure allows you to enjoy its generous flowering a little earlier;
Soil:
Belle de nuit grows very well in ordinary, humus-rich soil. However, it must be light and well drained. Indeed, the beauty of the night does not tolerate excess water or stagnant humidity very well.
How to maintain the beauty of the night?
If it is easy to maintain, you must keep in mind that the night beauty fears the cold and can be invasive.
Watering:
except in the event of periods of drought, the nightbush should not be particularly watered. It is sensitive to excess water;
Size:
Belle de nuit is a plant that can be invasive due to its speed of growth and its seeds which resow very easily. To avoid unwanted spontaneous seedlings, remember to cut off faded flowers as they go;
Wintering:
the night beauty fears frost. Also, before winter, do not hesitate to apply a thick mulch on its stumps to protect them from the cold. If you live in a region where winters are harsh, it is safer to dig up the tubers to shelter them until the warmer weather returns;
Diseases and parasites:
the night beauty can be targeted by aphids and red spiders. Also, slugs love its young shoots.
How to multiply the beauty of the night?
The night beauty multiplies easily by seed, so much so that it can even be invasive! Copyright (c) 2020 MaCross-Photography/Shutterstock. No use without permission.
The night beauty multiplies easily by
seed
, so much so that it can even be invasive! It can also be multiplied by dividing its tubers. It is then necessary to proceed before the vegetation resumes, at the very beginning of spring.
What is the difference between beauty by day and beauty by night?
While they both have beautiful funnel-shaped flowers, the dayflower and the nightflower
simply don't bloom at the same time
. Indeed, the flowers of the night beauty have the particularity of opening when the light intensity begins to decrease, around 5 p.m. approximately.
Do the night maidens fear frost?
Nightworts are
not very hardy
plants that cannot tolerate frost. Also, unless you live in a region with a mild climate, it is preferable to shelter them before the arrival of winter by digging up the rhizomes. They will have to be replanted once all risk of frost has passed.
Belles de nuit can also be grown as annuals and resown from one year to the next.
Is lady of the night poisonous?
The seeds and tubers of the nightwort are
toxic
. If ingested, these parts of the plant can cause nausea, stomach upset or even vomiting, in both humans and animals.
Which beauty of the night to choose?
Highly appreciated for its magnificent flowers, the night beauty is a particularly decorative plant. Here are our favorite varieties:
The night beauty 'Harlequin'
(
Mirabilis jalapa 'Arlequin'
) is an old variety which is distinguished by its flowers which are both variegated and striped. They cover a very wide range of bright colors, ranging from white, yellow, orange and even pink;
Because it reaches around 50 cm in height, the
night beauty 'Tea Time'
(
Mirabilis jalapa 'Tea Time'
) is an ideal variety for those who wish to grow it in a pot to adorn a balcony or terrace. Its flowers are bright and solid colors;
With its marbled flowers,
the night beauty 'Marbles mix'
(
Mirabilis jalapa 'Marbles mix'
) lives up to its name. Its often two-tone flowers present gradient shades for the most beautiful effect.