Marvel of Peru, a wonderful fragrant bloom

Marvel of Peru is an exotic shrub native to the Americas. It blooms in abundance and shares fragrant perfumes to the night garden.

Main Marvel of Peru facts

Name – Mirabilis jalapa
Family – Nyctaginaceae
Type – perennial or annual

Height – 32 inches tall (0.8 m)
Exposure – full sun
Soil – ordinary that drains well

Flowering – June until September

It tends to spread fast when conditions suit it well. Taking care of it is easy as long as care is regular.

Planting Marvel of Peru

How to plant Marvel of Peru from pots

You can find potted Marvel of Peru in most garden stores and horticulture centers in April and May. That is the best time to plant them (Spring).

• Spacing between Marvel of Peru plants should be a bit less than 1 foot: 10-12 inches (25-30cm).
• Plant them in a diamond pattern to cover a patch more evenly.

Starting Marvel of Peru from seed

Marvel of Peru bears lots of seeds and it’s easy to get them to germinate. Protect seedlings from frost at all costs.

• Sow under a protection in March
• or wait until May to sow in the ground.

Alternatively, you can sow in a tray and transplant seedlings outdoors in May.

Trimming and pruning Marvel of Peru

Since Marvel of Peru is more of a herbaceous plant than a woody one, it won’t grow very large. Stems sprout from seed, bloom, bear seeds, and after a few years die off, replaced by new seedlings.

• There’s no need to prune or trim Marvel of Peru.

Control invasive Marvel of Peru

Marvel of Peru will turn invasive because it produces a lot of seeds. Seeds germinate easily, too.

• In Spring, “cull” or remove any seedlings you find growing outside of their designated area.
• During the blooming, cut any dead or wilted flowers to keep them from going to seed.

Learn more about the Marvel of Peru flower

Peru is the modern-day name of that portion of South America that was once the heart of the Inca civilization. Inca would cultivate Mirabilis species for their flowers, and some even for food. That’s why one of the names of this plant is “Marvel of Peru”.

Flowers are astounding and each will be different from the next. Indeed, Marvel of Peru blooms in such a manner that colors and patterns are unique to each flower.