Cleome (Spider Plant)

Cleome or Spider Plant

One of my favorite flowers in the garden each year is the Cleome, also called the spider flower. It is an annual known for its exceedingly long seedpods. They develop below the flowers are as bloom progresses upward on the stalk to give the... plants a spidery look.

Cleome clusters of flowers are six to eight inches in diameter and come in white, pink, or lavender. They perch atop stems that can grow up to six feet high. Cleome grows well in average soil located in full or nearly full sun. It is very drought-tolerant, though it will look and grow better if it is watered well. I will post another picture of a Cleome in full bloom next.

 

Here is a full shot of a Cleome (Spider Flower) already beginning to open. They are beautiful but have a pungent odor that can make you think a skunk has moved through the garden! That scent also repels pest such as moles and some insects like mosquitoes. You get used to the scent when you see it's beauty and realize it's benefits. I plant mine deep in my garden.