Cleome hassleriana (common names: Spider flower)

Hi Maple have tried growing cleome but think I started them too late have you grown them ? If so when did you sow the seeds.

I tried cleomes from seed this year for the first time. Planted April in greenhouse, only 3 germinated and have just begun to flower, They are purplish, and the packet said 'mixed colours'. Oh well, try again next year!

Hi Dibber and spritzhenry . They are beautiful plants and just keep flowering but I have to hold my hands up here and be honest - I bought the plants ready to go!! I don't have space for a greenhouse but do have a small cold frame. Maybe I'll try cleome next year and let you know how it goes.

My cottage style garden wouldn't be complete without cleome, I just love it.

Hi all...I have success with the cleome that I have ...I let them go to seed and the seed overwinters...(We have serious winters here, lol.) I bought plants the first year, and I've had cleome every year since...they are annuals but I did not plant them... they come up in mat's if I don't disturb the soil in last years beds. I just take a clump and separate them, put them where I want them in the bed and let them do their thing. They grow 3 to 5 feet tall will ooodles of seeds. they aren't picky about soil, but like any other annual, give them the good stuff and they really come along. Keep trying, they're worth it. Also, if they don't germinate well the seeds may benefit from a short stay in the refrigerator. (vernalization)

One of my favorite summer annuals !

Mine too ! They do great, and next to no maintance. They are tall but don't need staking. Great for the back of the flowerbed.

Stunning plant - compliments the backdrop nicely , is it tender?

Beautiful Chris I am waiting for mine to flower Cant wait now I.ve seen yours

Is that real? Looks like a posh flower arrangement - mmmm

I grow it as a hardy annual Bonkers. This is the biggest and is in a pot. I started some off indoors and some outdoors. Some of the seedlings I planted out got eaten straight away by snails.

Isn't it an amazingly plant? It is able to self seed...I don't have to collect seed...they come up all over my garden...I bought my first plants five or six years ago and haven't had to buy seed since... the purple ones are very sturdy and resilient...they have thorns on the underside of the leaf stems so be careful when cutting them...they are excellent cut flowers but will drop all their petals on your table tops after a day or so. A massed planting of them is a show stopper!

I didn't get any self seeded ones. I raised a second generation from the seeds I collected. Mind you the bed where I grew them last year has lost nearly every young plant thet I have put out this year (to snails I think), so that could be the reason why I didn't get any self seeded ones.

I love these plants too, they look so different from anything else I've seen .! Great close-up shot !

very nice picture, Chris. I hope to see it "live"

Yes Angie it should still be flowering in August.

Ooh, I really like this, it looks quite exotic and lovely
colours.

wow this is beautiful

they are lovely gillian.

Beautiful and fantastic colour.

Lovely.

Spider flower. I have some of these in pots, I have grown with free seeds from Amature Garden mag. I belive they have spikes and grow to about 3-4ft?
Mine are not flowering yet but cant wait.

that looks pretty

O Janette u should c the 1s you posted me il load 2 pics 4u :)Their STUNNING :)

They remind me of fireworks they are beautiful I lost a few to the slugs this year Little monsters lol Look forward to seeing the photos

Iv never seen them b4 i lovem Thank you Again X

Ah your very welcome. my pleasure glad you like them as well

That is such a delicate beauty.

beautiful

Another strange looking flower I have never seen. I like the leaves as well.

Wow, most unusual, were these with AGs seeds? I didn't get round to sowing mine, wish I had now.

The hummingbirds love this :)

And still as beautiful as when you first posted it. I don't know how it will do here but I'm looking for this one.

As beautiful as those I saw in Monets garden

Oooh the first to tell you I like this. Must be going soft.

well ill 2nd that bonkers, these are very pretty

Hello Irish you up late tonight - is it that shift work?

I love Cleome ! Years ago I was given some seed and now I have it at different places in the garden. At one time I had 3 different shades but now I only have pink and lavender. Spritz, would you like some of the lavender seeds? I'll trade you for some of your white seeds??

If I can harvest any seeds off them, you are very welcome - they are not hardy over here, are they in your garden?

sorry bonkers, didnt get to reply to you, had to dash out to pick my son and his pals up lol, free taxi service

it is very pretty

pretty

Nice one! Looks qiute delicate.

Oooooh no, Pansy, it has spikes on its stem! Honestly! However, it is only an annual.

lovely colour

very nice

I hope that I get one this colour!

Thanks Irish and Amy I hope you do Spritz its a nice colour

It's an annual here too but readily reseeds itself !
And yes, I was shocked the first time I got jabbed with its pricly spikes !

Hi Chris what conditions do these like ? Any good in containers? Have loved these since my trip to Monets garden where they were need water.

This one is growing in a container. They like a reasonable amount of moisture and partial shade I think. Those I planted in dry sunny spots did not do well. I also lost those in damper places to the snails (they just vanished).

next year will be growing these again!

Hi Chris.
Jacqe has very kindly posted me some of her cleome seeds ready for next year so was just lokking up on them on GOY and saw this lovely photo of yours! Will remember what you said about slugs though as I really suffer from them in my garden!

That's unusual and pretty. :o)

Thank you

its so pretty

It's lovely.

Thanks ladies