The illustrated growing guide
Cleome (Spider Flower)
Cleome hassleriana
Family Cleomaceae
Grown as an annual
A statuesque, months-long bloomer — airy 'spider' flower heads with long whiskery stamens topping tall stems, feeding hummingbirds and hawk moths at dusk and bees by day, all through the heat of summer. It brings height and airy movement to the back of a border. Old types self-sow freely; the sterile 'Señorita' series stay tidy, thornless, and non-seeding.
Full Sun
Low water
Fast growth
Attracts hummingbirds
Attracts bees
None winter chillI
Overview
Will cleome (spider flower) suit your garden, and what goes wrong.
Will it fruit where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what cleome (spider flower) actually needs.
Life cycleAnnualCleome (Spider Flower) at a glance
Common cleome (spider flower) problems
- Aphids
- Almost none
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Growing
Light, water, soil, propagation and the season’s jobs.
How to grow cleome (spider flower): light, water & soil
How to plant & propagate cleome (spider flower)
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The year
What cleome (spider flower) asks for, month by month.
The cleome (spider flower) year, month by month
BloomWhat each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
The cleome (spider flower) year as text
- Jan quiet month
- Feb quiet month
- Mar quiet month
- Apr quiet month
- May quiet month
- Jun bloom
- Jul bloom
- Aug bloom
- Sep quiet month
- Oct quiet month
- Nov quiet month
- Dec quiet month
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
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Ecology & uses
What it does for the garden, and what it is grown for.
Cleome (Spider Flower) in the garden system
- Herbaceous layer annual
- Nectary/insectary
What cleome (spider flower) is grown for
✓ Commonly eatenMildly sticky/scented foliage; not for eating
Harvesting & storing cleome (spider flower)
Ornamental; reseeds. About 70-85 days from planting.
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
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Cultivars
Named varieties of cleome (spider flower), ruled as a catalogue.
Best cleome (spider flower) varieties & cultivars
'Queen' series (classic, self-sows, some thorns); 'Señorita Rosalita'/'Blanca' (sterile, thornless, tidy)
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Sources & plant ID
Where the care distinctions come from, and how the plant is filed.
Research basis
Sources behind this profile
No extension citations are attached to cleome (spider flower)yet. The care figures below come from the library's own catalogue rather than a traced primary source.
Plant ID
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Where to buy
Third-party nurseries — not Story Thyme Farms.
Third-party nurseries, not Story Thyme Farms. Prices are theirs.
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend.
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Questions
Cleome (Spider Flower) questions, answered straight.
Is cleome (spider flower) safe for kids and pets?
Cleome (Spider Flower) is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. One caveat on this one: Mildly sticky/scented foliage; not for eating. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
When do you harvest cleome (spider flower)?
Ornamental; reseeds. From planting, expect about 70-85 days to maturity.
How do you propagate cleome (spider flower)?
From seed.
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Elsewhere
Where cleome (spider flower) sits in the library.
Sunflower
Zinnia
Peony
Daylily