Photo credits and licenses
Real photographs from naturalists and photographers worldwide, each used under its own license. Credit: Photo by Michael J. Papay / iNaturalist (CC BY), Photo by Michael J. Papay / iNaturalist (CC BY), Photo by Michael J. Papay / iNaturalist (CC BY), Photo by Eduardo Luis Beltrocco / iNaturalist (CC BY) and Photo by Dan Vickers / iNaturalist (CC BY). How photos are sourced →
Cleome
Cleome hassleriana
Cleome blooms from June through September.
Mature size, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not.
Growing Cleome
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 10–11. Expect it to reach about 3.9 ft tall and 1.6 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 1 year.
When to plant Cleome
Wait until all danger of frost has passed, then plant out Cleome into warm soil; in most zones that means late spring. Planted then, it flowers from June to September.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 10 in January.
Comes in 4 colors
Same plant, same care - pick the color you are growing.
Good to know about Cleome
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Worth knowing
The spines and pungent scent gardeners dislike are exactly what make cleome deer- and rabbit-resistant and largely pest-free. Its defenses and its low-fuss reputation are the same thing. per NC State and Clemson
Traits vary by cultivar
The classic seed-grown types have sharp spines, a skunky smell, and self-sow freely. Modern series (Senorita, 'Linde Armstrong', Sparkler) are thornless, scentless, and sterile. Pick by preference. per Wisconsin and Clemson
Feeds day and night pollinators
Nectar-rich flowers draw bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds by day, and hummingbird moths and other night-flying moths at dusk. Its long stamens suit large, long-tongued visitors. per NC State and Illinois
Safe around pets
The ASPCA lists spider flower as non-toxic to dogs, cats, and horses, with no records of toxic ingestion. A large nibble might still cause mild stomach upset. per ASPCA and NC State
Thrives in hot, dry summers
Heat, humidity, and drought tolerant once established, it holds up as a back-of-border annual all season when many other flowers fade in the heat. per NC State and UGA
Why it's called spider flower
Each bloom has four clawed petals and six long stamens that shoot out about 7.5 cm (3 in), giving the airy, spider-leg look in pink, rose, purple, or white. per NC State and Clemson
What pairs well with Cleome
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Rock Cress
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; low at 4 in, to carpet the ground beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Sea Thrift
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; opens in mid spring and overlaps into this one's season; lower at 8 in, for the front of the border; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Creeping Phlox
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; low at 6 in, to carpet the ground beneath; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months.
Flowering Crabapple
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; taller at 20 ft, for the layer behind it.
Autumn Crocus
Shares full sun and moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; low at 6 in, to carpet the ground beneath; both offer pollinator forage.
Hyacinth
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; lower at 10 in, for the front of the border; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Pansy
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate water; opens in early spring and overlaps into this one's season; lower at 8 in, for the front of the border; both offer pollinator forage.
Crocus
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in late winter, before this one opens; low at 4 in, to carpet the ground beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Explore similar plants
You might also like
Design a garden with this
Drop this plant onto a 3D plan, see how it fills in, and watch your whole garden bloom across the year.