A friend bought some fruit at the grocery, saved seed and planted (and didn't think to write down what he planted) and now has this pretty plant...trying to identify...my husband thought maybe pommegranite...but I dont know...

Appears to be Four-o-clock, Mirabilis jalapa... Maybe it was a seed that was already in the soil or fell in later?

that was my first thought too...but he said he saved seed from fruit he bought, so would rule out four o'clocks...

Yeah, there's no doubt that fruit seeds were planted but it appears they didn't germinate, and instead, a seed or tuber of four-o-clocks did.

Pomegranate takes 3 -5 years to be mature enough to produce flowers and fruit and is a shrub/tree plant.

There can often be stray seeds in soil; even bagged soil could contain seeds.
If the pots are outside, seeds could be deposited by critters.

Sure looks like a Four O'clock plant and bloom. Wait until the seeds mature and you will know for certain; Mirabilis jalapa seeds have a distinctive shape.

Definitely looks like Four O'Clock .. I have a bed that I grew Four O'Clocks in 4 years ago. I'm STILL getting volunteer seedlings popping up every year in that bed .. they can stay dormant in soil for years. On an interesting note, I have some large containers that I grew Datura in 7 years ago and every Spring, Datura seedlings pop up. The numbers dwindle each year but it's interesting they can last that long.

Welcome to ATP!

No doubt, it's 4'0'clocks.

Don't give up on the other seed. It may sprout at some point in the future.

That's definitely Mirabilis jalapa (Four O'clock). Perhaps the seed was a gift from the birds ... happens all the time! Scroll down this page to the many photos for comparison: Four o'Clocks (Mirabilis jalapa)

Another vote for Marvel of Peru / Four o'clocks, Mirabilis jalapa.

http://www.missouribotanicalga...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M...

Hi ya Dave ... good to see you!

How's'it Lin! How ya been?

I've been having computer problems and been working on a tablet, which I can't figure out how to log onto ATP. Luckily got to use a laptop this week. New computer on the way soon!

Mirabilis jalapa has some valuble medicinal properties. it is an easily prepared anti-inflammatory. Good for folks who like to play outside in the dirt!

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pm...

http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant...

http://www.rain-tree.com/clavi...

http://indiaheals.blogspot.com...

Great information there Dave; I had no idea they had any medicinal qualities.

We had tons of Four O'clocks growing at our other house and I've always had a love-hate relationship with them. They have really pretty blooms that I like a lot and seem to thrive on neglect but they get a bit obnoxious in some areas here in Florida. The tubers get very large and heavy and they have very strong, deep taproots; I could not keep them under control on our other property.

We've been renting that house out for the past 2 1/2 years and I will be curious to look around over there now that our tenants have moved out to see if the backyard has been overrun by the the Mirabilis jalapa, Southern Sword Fern (Nephrolepis cordifolia) and Cape Honeysuckle (Tecoma capensis) My husband said he had to rip down Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) that was growing through and along the fence, up the side of the cement block house and it had attached and was running along the roof!