Over here in "Tidewater" Virginia, I had noticed seeing them grow for years, near the ocean front in Virginia Beach. & other nearby cities, too...I guess the root tubers overwintered successfully in the sandy soils, around this area. I had seen huge tubers for sale, at tone of he local garden centers, too.Those used to grow sometimes, over 5 feet tall by July.& August. They tend to grow like weeds,here ,once you have a few plants set seeds! Some, had really long flower tubes, maybe from having been crossed with others, by hummingbirds. A western species of hummingbird was reported to have been seen near Williamsburg, VA. But I have yet to see any but Ruby Throated' & recall, one bird used to come by & visit me, upon its' arrival, each spring, over a period of about four years. I am fairly certain, as it was always a female, that stopped by, as I had my coffee on the front porch & there was a huge trumpet vine, growing up the brick, eventually up to the roof (almost three stories up.)
I am fairly certain they pollinate pineapples too, as one I got the other day, ( from Costa Rica, maybe?) had numerous seeds, I had removed, after slicing it up to eat. Some Four O'clocks do tend to open up earlier than others, & afternoon shade in summer, may help flowers open up a bit earlier.Fragrance is better at night.
