November Calendar Flower - Desert Wishbone Bush

November Calendar Flower Portrait - Desert Wishbone Bush

Mirabilis laevis is the Latin name for this flower. It means “miraculously smooth” and indicates the hairless, smooth stems of the plant. Wishbone bush grows in Southern California, in chaparral, coastal, and desert environments. It is low to the ground and the blooms are only about 1” in diameter.

It is easy to see that this flower is part of the 4 O’Clock family and like its cousin, opens in the afternoon and morning, blooming November - May. It has an interesting strategy for reproduction as it is mostly pollinated in the evening. It doesn’t waste energy staying open in the heat of the day!

The Wishbone Bush gets its name from the manor in which the stems fork, like a wishbone.

When I chose this flower for the November calendar, I didn’t make the association with this month’s iconic holiday and the traditional activity of pulling the turkey wishbone!

2021 is almost over! Time to get a 2022 George Flower Portrait Calendar!