Cleome hassleriana
Spider flower
Common names: Spiderflower, Spider plant (Cleome)
At a glance
- Light
- Full sun
- Pot size
- from 15 l
- Lifespan
- Annual
- Flowering
- Jul–Oct
- Hardiness
- Cold damage below 2 °C
- Water need
- Medium
Photo: User:Schoinard · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
This description was machine-translated.
Description
The spider flower, botanically Cleome hassleriana, comes from southern South America and is a tall, airy-looking summer flower. Depending on the variety, it grows 90 to 160 cm high and has palmately compound leaves. From July to October, flower clusters form at the shoot tips in pink, violet, or white, from which long stamens protrude like spider legs. The clusters open from bottom to top, and the slender seed pods ripen beneath them. Well-known cultivars are 'Helen Campbell', a pure white, and 'Cherry Queen', a strong pink. In the garden, it is used as a background plant in summer flower and perennial beds, in cottage gardens, or in large containers. Most cultivars have small prickles at the leaf bases, and only some newer breeds are thornless. In warm locations, the spider flower readily self-seeds.
Care instructions
The spider flower needs a sunny, warm spot sheltered from strong wind. Plant it out only after the Ice Saints, from calendar week 20, as even light frost damages it. Allow about 40 cm of spacing. Loose, humus-rich soil suits it best. Water young plants regularly; later it tolerates short dry spells, while during long heat, water thoroughly but less often. Secure tall plants with a stake in windy conditions. Wear gloves when planting and cutting, as most cultivars have prickles at the leaf bases. Spent flowers do not need to be removed, as the plant keeps blooming until frost. If you do not want seedlings next year, remove the seed pods before they ripen. Typical mistakes are a spot that is too shady and planting out young plants too early.
The care notes were machine-translated from German.
Garden year
SowingMar–May
FloweringJul–Oct
Germination
- Soil temperature
- from 15 °C, ideally 22 °C
- Days to sprout
- 10 to 21 days
- Light
- Needs light to sprout
- Sowing depth
- Press in, don't cover
- How to start
- Start indoors, then plant out
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
well-drained, humus-rich, loamy, sandy
The spider flower grows best in loose, humus-rich and moderately nutrient-rich soil that is well-drained. Sandy loam is ideal, and the pH may be neutral to slightly acidic. It tolerates drought better than wet, so on heavy, compacted soils work in compost and sand. In a container, use good-quality potting compost in a large, stable pot with good drainage.
Feeding
Medium feeder
Months
May–Jul
The spider flower is a moderate feeder. When planting in May, work mature compost into the soil. In June and July you can give it diluted nettle liquid once. In a container, give a liquid fertiliser for flowering plants every two weeks. Too much nitrogen makes it lanky and soft and gives more foliage than flowers.
Overwintering
Here, the spider flower is an annual and is killed by the first frost. You clear it away in October when the foliage turns brown. Overwintering is not worthwhile; next spring you raise new plants from seed. In warm locations seedlings often appear by themselves, usually only late in May when the soil is warm. They do not always come true in flower colour.
Propagation
Methods
- From seed
Sow the spider flower indoors from March to April. The seeds are light germinators: just press them onto the soil and do not cover them. At 18 to 20 °C they germinate after one to three weeks. Prick out the seedlings individually into pots and keep them bright and warm; from mid-May they may go outdoors. Direct sowing in the bed from mid-May is also possible, but it then only flowers in late summer. The seeds ripen in long, narrow pods. If you let them burst open, the plant self-seeds. For your own seed, cut off ripe pods and let them dry off further in a paper bag.
For your garden
Grow Spider flower yourself
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