Cleome Growing Guide
Growing Cleome is easier than you think. This guide walks you through everything you need — from planting your first seed to harvesting.
At a Glance
Difficulty
Easy
Category
Flower
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Tender
Cold Hardiness
Survives to 5°C
Plant Family
Cleomaceae
Growing Season
Warm Season
Plant Lifecycle
Annual
Also grows well as
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Sow into warm soil after frost where it's to grow (it has a long taproot and dislikes transplanting); a cold spell or chilling the seed first improves germination.
Spider flower brings dramatic height and airy, whiskery blooms to the back of a sunny summer border, on tall stems topped with ever-rising spires that flower for months. It loves heat and tolerates drought and poor soil once established, and it self-sows freely. Good to know: many older types have small thorns on the stems and a slightly musky scent, so site it where you won't brush past it constantly (newer thornless, scent-free varieties exist).
When To Start
First Chance to Plant
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Last Chance to Plant
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When should you plant Cleome?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Cleome Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
The Journey Ahead
Cleome's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Expect sprouts in 10–21 days
Growing Tips
- 1Give cleome full sun, room to reach its full height, and lean-to-average soil — rich soil and too much water make it flop.
- 2It's superb for fast, see-through height and a cottage or pollinator border, and butterflies and bees love it.
- 3Wear gloves with thorny older varieties, or choose modern thornless ones.
- 4Let a few pods drop and you'll have cleome for years.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
150 cm
Mature Height
50 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
When to Pick
Blooms midsummer to frost; the flower spires keep rising and opening
How to Harvest
- 1Very little needed — cleome more or less looks after itself once established.
- 2Deadheading isn't essential (the spires keep climbing and blooming), but removing the long seed pods that form below the flowers tidies it and curbs its prolific self-sowing if that's a concern.
- 3Tall plants in exposed spots may want a little support.
- 4Pull it after frost; expect seedlings next year.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
How to Save Seeds
Long seed pods form below the flowers and dry to release seed; collect a few, or let them shed — cleome self-sows readily.
Seed Production
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