Greenthumb's Garden
Cleome 'royal Queen'
Genus: Cleome.
Species: Cleome hassleriana.
A native where I grew up in Idaho, This plant can grow up to 6 ft tall. It has a thorned stalk thata is very strong, needed no staking and self seeds readily. Inflorescence is in columns of deep pink to white petals followed by spike seed pods. I have a short season and have decided that removing the main column just before flowering would give me later blooms but more column and give me a rounder shape. This wouldn't be needed in a long season garden. Cleome would fill a hard to fill area well and doesn't need the best soil or wet conditions though more water can mean a fuller plant. It has a rather pungent smell, but does attract your bees and butterflies.
