Cleome, which is also called “spider flower,” is a tall annual plant that has flowers that look like spider webs or octopus tentacles. Clerodeum grows quickly and doesn’t need much care, making it a great choice for adding color and height to gardens and landscapes. If you want to add this one-of-a-kind flower to your yard, here’s how to find cleome plants for sale near you.
An Overview of Cleome
Cleome is a genus of around 100-170 annual and perennial flowering plant species native to the Americas. The most commonly grown cleome in gardens is Cleome hassleriana, known as common spider flower. This fast-growing annual can reach heights of 3-6 feet tall and 1-2 feet wide.
Cleome flowers have five petals and long, spider-like stamens that stick out. This is how they get their common name, “spider flowers.” Flower colors include shades of pink, purple, white and bi-colors. From early summer until the first frost in the fall, cleome blooms all summer long.
In addition to its unique floral display, cleome offers other desirable traits for gardens:
- Thrives in full sun and heat
- Tolerates drought and dry conditions
- Attracts pollinators like bees, butterflies and hummingbirds
- Reseeds readily for repeated flowering
- Adds height and vertical interest to beds and borders
With proper placement and care, cleome is easy to grow and requires minimal maintenance compared to other flowering annuals.
Where to Find Cleome Plants Near You
If you’ve decided to add cleome to your garden, here are some options for finding plants available for sale in your local area:
Check with Local Nurseries and Garden Centers
Your first stop when looking for cleome plants should be brick-and-mortar garden nurseries, garden centers, or hardware stores with garden departments. Cleome is a very popular annual, so most retail locations that sell plants should carry it or can order it for you.
Talk to the staff to find out when their cleome shipments arrive and the best time to buy. This will vary by location and climate. To get the most out of your cleome plants, it’s ideal to purchase and plant them after the last frost date for your area.
Farmers Markets and Plant Sales
Another place to check for cleome plants is local farmer’s markets, especially those with a focus on locally-grown plants from regional farms and nurseries.
Non-profit plant sales hosted by public gardens, museums, conservation groups or gardening societies are another opportunity. These periodic sales often have a nice selection of hard-to-find annuals like cleome at great prices.
Mail Order Plant Nurseries
Can’t find cleome locally? Consider ordering from a mail order plant nursery. Reputable online nurseries ship live plants nationwide, right to your door.
Look for nurseries that ship at the proper planting time for your zone. Order early, as cleome sells out quickly. Some top mail order sources for cleome plants include:
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White Flower Farm – Offers Cleome hassleriana variety mix. Ships April-June.
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GrowJoy – Sells Senorita Blanca, Senorita Rosalita and other cultivars. Ships May-June.
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Burpee – Carries different cleome series and mixes. Ships when weather permits.
Purchase Cleome Seeds
You can save money or get a head start on the season by buying cleome seeds and starting your own transplants inside. Common mixes and cultivars like Cherry Queen, White Queen, and Mauve Queen are among the seed types.
There are reputable seed companies like Outsidepride, American Meadows, and Bulk Wildflowers that sell cleome seeds in bulk for gardens.
How to Care for Cleome
Once you’ve tracked down your cleome plants, proper care and maintenance will keep them thriving all season:
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Plant in full sun, at least 6 hours daily
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Space 12-18 inches apart in holes twice as wide as the root ball
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Keep soil moist consistently, water at base avoiding foliage
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Apply general purpose fertilizer every 3-4 weeks
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Remove spent flowers to encourage new blooms
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Stake tall varieties if needed for support
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Mulch around plants to retain moisture and reduce weeds
With the right growing conditions cleome will reward you with months of spectacular color and height. It’s definitely a unique annual to enliven any garden. Follow the tips above and you’ll soon be enjoying homegrown cleome plants from your own yard or neighborhood.
Planting the best cleome seeds
- Thrives in bright, sunny areas
- Attracts hummingbirds and butterflies
- Produces large flowers with long stamens
- Cold-stratify before planting for best results
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Cleome, also called spider flower, is the perfect front border plant for your garden. It grows to be just under six feet tall. Cleome seeds will produce softball sized clusters of rose, violet, cherry, and white blooms from summer through fall. Clome plants are like a lighthouse for hummingbirds and butterflies in your area. Their tall, exotic flowers have beautiful stamens that stick out from them.
In The Nursery: Proven Winner Cleome
FAQ
When should I plant cleome?
Sow cleome seed in warmth in early spring and grow on in a warm well-lit spot under cover before hardening off and planting out after the frosts. Water during dry spells and feed to boost flowering. Plants may need staking to protect against wind.
Will cleome come back every year?
Is Cleome an annual or perennial? Cleome is an annual plant, however, it readily reseeds so you might find seedlings popping up next spring in the same spot.
Where is the best place to plant cleome?
Spider flower grows best in full sun in moist, well-drained soil. It can handle being dry, but watering will help it grow and flower better. On the other hand, too much watering or fertilizing makes it grow leggy. Staking is usually not necessary, except in windy locations.
Does cleome like sun or shade?
It grows best in average, well-drained soils and in full sun to light shade. Somewhat drought tolerant, cleome will benefit from supplemental irrigation during dry periods.
How much do Cleome seeds cost?
Cleome is an annual plant that grows quickly and has sweet-smelling pink, purple, or white flowers that birds and butterflies love. It is also called “spider plant” because its flower petals are very thin. You can purchase 1500 Cleome seeds for $3. 50 on Amazon. Sun-worshipping plants like Cleome will keep your yard looking gorgeous even in the harshest heat of summer.
Where should Cleome be planted?
Clome grows best in the back of a mixed flower bed or perennial bed. It makes a nice focal point and doesn’t get in the way of shorter plants. Mass plantings or drifts of cleome are especially attractive. Cleome also makes a good container plant. Do you deadhead cleome? Yes, cleome responds well to pruning.
What is a Cleome plant?
Older varieties of the cleome plant are useful as background plants for shorter, sun-loving flowers and as stand-alone specimens when planting cleomes in masses. The cleome spider flower, sometimes called spider leg or spider flower, is named for its tall, leggy appearance and the shape of its leaves.
Do cleomes grow from seed?
Planting cleomes from seed usually results in a vigorous display of the tall, fragrant cleome spider flower. Newer cultivars, some in dwarf varieties of the cleome plant, have no fragrance and do not produce next year’s flowers as the seeds are sterile.
Do Cleome plants produce flowers next year?
Newer cultivars, some in dwarf varieties of the cleome plant, have no fragrance and do not produce next year’s flowers as the seeds are sterile. Older varieties of the cleome plant are useful as background plants for shorter, sun-loving flowers and as stand-alone specimens when planting cleomes in masses.
What is the size of a Cleome plant?
Cleome (Cleome Hassleriana Rose Queen), also known as Spider Flower or Grandfather’s Whiskers, produces airy blooms and a bushy, full plant. The plant spacing is recommended to be 18 inches.