Wonder Flower: The Overlooked Night Bloomer for Your Garden

Yet one frequently overlooked night-blooming plant can take a surprising amount of work off your hands.

Anyone creating new beds in spring or hoping to fill bare patches in the garden usually wants a plant that grows quickly, flowers for a long time and does not need daily fussing. This is precisely where an old, almost forgotten garden classic shows its strengths: the wonder flower, botanically known as Mirabilis jalapa. It blooms chiefly in the evening, grows at remarkable speed and can turn an unremarkable spot into a lively evening garden in around 60 days.

The wonder flower: a modest tuber with a spectacular night-time display

Native to South America, the wonder flower develops tuberous roots similar to those of dahlias. During summer, these produce a bushy clump, generally reaching 40 to 80 centimetres in height. Soft green leaves grow on branching stems, giving the plant a compact, slightly untamed appearance that suits flower beds, front gardens and colourful cottage-style gardens.

The real show starts in late afternoon. Its trumpet-shaped flowers, measuring around three to five centimetres across, then unfold. They are available in numerous shades:

• pure white or vivid yellow