Cleome

( klee - OH - mee )

At-A-Glance Information

Cleome has many common names, including Spider Flower, Spider Plant, Spider Weed, and Bee Plant. Native to South America, this genus of shrubby, herbaceous plants produces blooms in summer and fall followed by seed capsules. Both leaves and stems are a bit sticky and fragrant. These annual plants are great as a summertime hedge, against walls and fences, in large containers, and can even naturalize themselves in outer areas of gardens. Flowers and the following seed capsules add great interest to dried arrangements. Take care when planting these beauties in your garden, as touching plant parts can cause skin irritation, including redness, itching and swelling.

Cleome species and varietals

The genus Cleome includes around 200 species and is the type genus member of the plant family Cleomaceae. Species are very similar in looks and flower arrangement to those in the genus Polanisia (Clammyweed). They grow well in USDA hardiness zones 2-11 or Sunset growing zones 1-24. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Cleome angulata (Elegant Spider Flower)
This species is native to India and the island of Java, Indonesia. Individual plants reach around 3 feet tall when mature and in bloom, and have greyish-green foliage and stems. Flowers are lavender to light pink, and have numerous pink stamens with white tips.

Cleome angustifolia (Golden Cleome, Yellow Cleome, Yellow Mouse Whiskers, Wild-Ertjie)
Native to Africa, this species is commonly seen growing in disturbed areas, such as along roadways. It is consumed as a vegetable in its native range, and produces beautiful orange-yellow flowers with red and pink markings towards the bases of petals. Individual plants reach 2 feet tall when mature and in bloom. This species is considered invasive in regions of the United Kingdom and United States.

Cleome chelidonii (Celandine Spider Flower, Paan Tilwan)
This species is native to India, Sri Lanka, southeast Asia, and Java, Indonesia. Foliage is greyish green, and stems are reddish green. Flowers have four pink petals, and bloom in February and March in the plant's native range. Celandine Spider Flower reaches 6-32 inches tall when mature and in bloom and is considered invasive in Indonesia and regions of India.

Cleome cleomoides (Justago)
Native to western Australia, this erect to spreading herbaceous plant reaches between 1 and 3 feet tall and typically thrives in sandy soils. Flowers are tubular and yellow and bloom between the months of January and June in the species' natural habitat. Leaves are green and linear.

Cleome gynandra (Shona Cabbage, African Cabbage, Spiderwisp, Cat's Whiskers, Stinkweed)
This annual wildflower species is native to Africa, and has naturalized itself in many tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Flowers are white, sometimes fading to pink as they age. Leaves and flowers are edible, the leaves having a somewhat peppery taste similar to mustard greens. Leaves and shoots are also boiled in stews. This species is considered an invasive weed in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, including Texas, Florida, Louisiana and the southeastern United States, parts of the Americas, and Australia.

Cleome houtteana (Cleome spinosa, Cleome Hassleriana) (Spider Flower, Spider Plant, Pink Queen, Grandfather's Whiskers)
This annual species needs full sun and moderate to regular water to perform well. These flowers will attract hummingbirds to the yard in droves, and grow to about 4-6 feet tall and 5 feet wide at maturity. They are vigorous growers, especially in warm, dry climates. There are many cultivars of this species, listed below. Those in the Queen series reach between 4 and 6 feet tall, and those in the Sparkler series are shorter, coming in around 3.5 to 4 feet tall with a better branching structure. Senorita hybrids will not self-seed and are thornless.

'Helen Campbell'
To 4 feet tall with pure white blooms.

'Linde Armstrong'
To between 12 and 18 inches tall.

'Rose Queen'
With light rose-colored blooms that open from bright pink buds.

'Senorita Blanca'
White flowers on a dwarf plant.

'Senorita Mi Amor'
With light pink flowers that have darker pink blushing.

'Sparkler Blush'
With light to dark pink blooms.

'Sparkler Rose'
With deep rose pink flowers.

'Sparkler White'
Pure white flowers on a compact plant.

'Spirit Appleblossom'
White flowers with pink-orange flushing.

'Spirit Violeta'
With deep violet-pink blossoms.

'Violet Queen'
With violet-pink flowers.

'White Queen'
With pure white blooms.

Cleome maculata (Spotted Cleome)
These plants enjoy growing on rocky slopes and in sandy soils in South Africa, Botswana. They reach under a foot tall at maturity and have sparse foliage. Flowers are mauve and have yellow marks towards their centers. This species is considered a pioneer plant and tends to be weedy.

Cleome ornithopodioides (Bird Spiderflower)
This annual species is native to the eastern Mediterranean region. The specific epithet of the species means 'bird's foot-like'. Plants reach a little under a foot tall and have small white flowers. This species is considered to be invasive in eastern regions of the United States, including western Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and northern Ohio.

Cleome oxalidea (Spider Flower, Spider Weed)
This annual herbaceous plant forms a basal rosette from which stems under a foot tall sprout, topped with lavender-pink flowers with white stamens. Blooms pop between January and September in their native range. These desert dwellers are native to northern Australia, and are considered invasive in certain regions of Asia.

Cleome rutidosperma (Fringed Spider Flower, Purple Cleome, Consumption Weed, Maman)
This species, widely considered a weed, is native to lowland tropical areas in Asia and Australia, where it is commonly seen growing in lawns. Reaching just over two feet tall at the most, these plants produce small light blue-purple to whitish flowers. Fringed Spider Flower is considered invasive in wet, tropical areas of Asia and Australia, as well as regions in the Caribbean and Central and South America.

Cleome tetrandra (Four-Stamen Spider Flower, Four-Stamen Cleome)
This annual herbaceous plant has an erect, straggling habit and reaches up to two feet tall at maturity. Flowers are yellow, and bloom between January and July in the plant's native range in western Australia.

Cleome viscosa (Asian Spiderflower, Tick Weed)
This annual species reaches just over three feet tall at maturity and produces yellow flowers. Leaves are palmately divided and green. These plants are native to Australia, but have naturalized in many regions in the Americas, Asia, and Africa. The species is considered invasive in warm, humid, tropical regions across Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Oceania.

Caring for Cleome

Take care when planting these beauties in your garden, as touching plant parts can cause skin irritation, including redness, itching and swelling. Cleome seeds should be sown in place in early springtime; they will sprout rapidly in warm soil. They are best when grown in full sun and in a spot in the garden that is sheltered from strong winds, which can blow flowering stems over and damage plants. They prefer soil to be well-draining and moderately fertile with a pH of between 5.5 and 7.0. If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. After planting Spider Flower, mulch around the area with organic mulching material to help retain soil moisture and suppress weed growth. Keep mulch away from the plant stems, as this can encourage an environment for root rot issues to take hold. Although these plants do get relatively tall, they do not typically need to be staked unless they are grown in a windy area.

Water new plantings regularly as they develop a strong root system. At maturity, these plants appreciate moist soil around their roots, but will develop problems if left in standing water. Water deeply once a week, and provide more supplemental waterings in hot, dry months of the year. They can take dry conditions, but will flower better if they receive regular irrigation. Each year in springtime, apply a 2-inch layer of organic compost around the planting area to improve soil structure, drainage, and nutrient load. This one feeding will be sufficient to carry the plants through their active growing and blooming seasons. Prune plants to control size and shape if necessary; they do not need to be pruned at all for health. Regular deadheading can encourage more blooms to emerge. Younger plants can be pinched back to promote a shorter, bushier plant to develop, otherwise these plants tend to be tall and columnar. Cleome plants are annuals, and can be pulled and composted at the end of the growing season or left in place to enrich the soil.

Propagation

The best way to propagate Cleome plants is to grow them from seed. To propagate your Spider Flowers, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Cleome by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
Harvest your seeds. The seed pods are pretty easy to spot, they're left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will begin to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 15-30 days from sowing.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.
Alternatively, Cleome seeds can be sown in-place in a prepared flower bed and covered with soil. Ensure that soil temperatures remain consistently above 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cleome seeds are held inside of long seed pods.

Cleome seeds are small and black.

Problems and Pests

Certain species of Cleome are considered invasive in regions around the world; see descriptions above for more information. Check with local authorities before planting. Cleome does not suffer from many pests and diseases in landscapes, but can have issues from time to time with: