Trailing Four O'clock (Allionia incarnata)

Trailing Four O'clock from Big Bend, 14 Jun 2003. Photograph by Gertrud D. Konings.

• Common English Names: Trailing Four O'clock, Pink Windmills, Trailing Umbrella-wort
• Common Spanish Names: Hierba de la Hormiga
• Scientific Name: Allionia incarnata (al-ee-ON-ee-uh in-kar-NAY-tuh)
• Family: Nyctaginaceae (Four O'Clock Family)
• Geographic Range: Southeastern California across to Colorado, south to Baja California, Arizona, N.M., and Texas into central Mexico; also in South America.
• Plant Form: Perennial groundcover, 3" H X 3' W.
• Remarks: Numerous flat trailing or sprawling stems from a semi-woody base and stout root. Flowers pink to rose-magenta scattered along the stems, spring to fall. Low water, full sun, well draining soils, cold hardy but stems die back to crown in winter.

Last Update: 5 July 2003