How to Grow Spider Flower Plant Profile

While the stems are rather spindly, spider flower plants have attractive and unusual blooms that make great additions to a mixed border.

Cultivation Information and How to Grow Cleome

Botanical and Common Name: Cleome hasslerana are often called spider flowers because of the unusual shape of the flower clusters. Other common names for the spider flower include grandfather’s whiskers, which should give gardeners a clue about the design of these flowers.

Plant Category: Cleome plants are half-hardy annuals native to South Africa.

Bloom Time and Color: The flowers are present from late spring through early fall and appear in purple, pink or white hues.

Foliage: The foliage is aromatic but not particularly attractive otherwise. Gardeners often plant cleome between perennials or shrubs that will hide the long stems, while still allowing the fragrant flowers to be displayed. The foliage of the spider plant is prickly so gardeners might need to use gloves when handling.

Growth Habit: Cleome plants are tall, upright growing with a narrow profile.

Dimensions: Spider flowers grow 4 to 5 feet tall, but only 1 foot wide. The airy flower clusters grow about 3 inches wide.

Maintenance: Spider flowers require little maintenance but gardeners who want to encourage bushier growth can prune the plants back by one-third in mid-spring. Also, since cleome self-seeds itself sometimes, gardeners who don’t want volunteer seedlings can prune off the seedpods in the fall.

Pests or Diseases: While spider flowers are not often plagued with diseases, they may become infested with aphids, or whiteflies.

Propagation Methods: Sow seeds directly outdoors in early spring in zones south of zone 5. In zone 5 or north, gardeners will probably want to start indoors a 4 to 6 weeks before last frost date.

Using Cleomein the Garden

Preferred Conditions: Spider plants prefer full sun to part shade, well-drained and slightly dry soil.

Companion Plants: Since spider plants can seem leggy, plant them with other drought-tolerant plants that will grow bushy around them such as lavender or calendula. Match it with other hummingbird plants or place in a butterfly garden to attract wildlife as well.

Seasons of Interest: Spider flowers remain attractive from spring through fall, and some gardeners leaves the seed pods standing for architectural interest during the winter.

Uses in the Garden: Spider flowers provide a cool, pale tone to the garden landscape – the cleome makes a great addition to the back of any border. Consider using spider flowers in the fragrance garden, humming bird garden, or to line fences.

Cleome Plant Cultivars:

• ‘Linde Armstrong’ Spider Flower (Cleome hasslerana ‘Linde Armstrong’) – A unique, compact form of spider flower, the Linde Armstrong stays under 3 feet and has a bushier growing style.
• ‘Cherry Queen’ Spider Flower (Cleome hasslerana ‘Cherry Queen’) – A pink-purple spider flower with lighter colored buds that create a two-toned effect in each flower cluster.
• ‘Rose Queen’ Spider Flower (Cleome hasslerana ‘Rose Queen’) – Another in the ‘Queen’ series of spider flowers, the rose queen is enjoyed for the pure, rose-pink tones of the blooms.
• ‘Sparkler White’ Spider Flower (Cleome hasslerana ‘Sparkler White’) – This cleome is a white flowering spider flower that will combine well with other annuals or perennials because of the clean, white color.
• ‘Violet Queen’ Spider Flower (Cleome hasslerana ‘Violet Queen’) – A popular cultivar, this spider flower has purple blossoms.

Anytime a gardener is looking for a tall, back-of-the-border plant to add motion and interest to the garden, he should consider a spider flower plant. With a long flowering season, cleome will add color to the landscape for many weeks.