Cleomes

Flower & Garden Magazine, June-July, 1995 by Mary E. Maurer

THE CLEOME PLANT IS THE QUEEN OF MY GARDEN. Each summer I have more of these generous selfseeders, because they not only tolerate the heat, drought and less-than-ideal soil conditions of my rocky hilltop, but they do so with splendor and grace. They rise regally above my other flowers to a height of almost 5 feet and sway delightfully with every summer breeze. Their spiky blossoms, fragrance, and long sticky seed pods attract hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, moths and spiders.

Cleome, also known as the spider flower, is a hardy annual named for its long stamens and thin seed pods. It is a member of the caper family and closely resembles its wilder relatives, the yellow bee plant, Rocky Mountain bee plant and clammyweed. Cleome easily reaches 4,to 5 feet in height and branches to to 3 feet across with masses of rose, pink, white, lavender or purple blooms from mid-summer to late fall. As new blossoms appear and fade in late summer, sticky seed pods form on long whiskers.

The spider flower is one of the few annuals that grows well in all 50 states, in garden spots ranging from full sun to partial shade. The stubborn plant clings to life despite adverse conditions. I've grown them in clay and sand as well as in rich soil; a few determined self-sown plants have even appeared in the gravel driveway. They are heat- and drought-resistant, although they will become more massive with regular watering.

A few cleome plants are enough to add height and interest to a small flower bed. Where garden space is notavissue, try a large grouping to serve as a backdrop for other flowers.

Cleome plants are readily available at nurseries in the spring in a variety of pink, lavender and purple shades, as well as white. They are also easy to start from seed, and most seed companies carry varieties such as `Rose Queen,' `Pink Queen,' `Violet Queen' and `Purple Queen.' `Helen Campbell' is an attractive white-blooming variety.

Start the seeds directly in the garden well after the last chance of frost, or indoors four to six weeks earlier. When setting plants out, or thinning seedlings that were sown in place, allow at least 18 inches between plants.

Starting in late summer, cleomes begin to produce numerous round seeds. Collect some to save for next year's garden. In milder climates, dropped seed will survive the winter. When the stalks are spent in the fall remove the plants and shake them in areas where you would like more plants the following year. Cleomes may be a summer annual, but if you grow cleomes this summer, they will add a royal presence to your garden forever.