How to Grow Cleome? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Cultivation Methods

Cleome, also known as spider flower, purple dragon whiskers, spider plant, etc., is an annual or biennial herbaceous plant of the genus Cleome in the Cleomaceae family, native to tropical America. Its petals are light and graceful, and when in full bloom they look like butterflies dancing, which is quite interesting. It can be used to decorate flower beds and flower borders in summer and autumn, and can also be dwarf-cultivated and grown as a potted plant for viewing. Now let us take a look at the cultivation methods for Cleome!

Growth Habits of Cleome

Cleome is native to tropical America and is cultivated for ornamental purposes from the tropics to temperate zones worldwide. It has strong adaptability, prefers high temperatures, is fairly tolerant of summer heat, and dislikes cold. It likes sunny locations, and can also grow well in semi-shaded areas. It is not demanding about soil. In fertile ground with sufficient water and fertilizer, the plants grow tall; in general soil of medium fertility, it can also grow well; it grows poorly in sandy loam, somewhat clayey soil, or alkaline soil. It likes moist soil and is also fairly drought-tolerant, but dislikes waterlogging.

Propagation Methods of Cleome

1. Sowing: Sow Cleome seeds in an open-field seedbed in mid-April, and they emerge uniformly. The seedlings grow slowly, so thinning must be done in time after sowing. Transplant when they have 2 to 3 true leaves, and set them in the ground or pot them in June. During the growing period, fertilize once every half month. If too much fertilizer is applied, the plants tend to grow leggy, affecting plant form and flowering. Generally, spring-sown plants bloom in autumn, while autumn-sown plants bloom indoors in winter and spring.

2. Cuttings: The substrate for Cleome cuttings is nutrient soil, river sand, peat soil, etc. The optimal temperature for rooting of cuttings is 18 to 25°C. Below 18°C, the relative air humidity must be kept at 75 to 85%. Humidity can be increased by misting the cuttings, and 50 to 80% of sunlight must be blocked. After the root system grows out, gradually remove the shade net.

Cultivation Methods of Cleome

1. Soil: Cleome does not need special soil; a well-drained sandy soil containing humus is best. Apart from growing poorly in alkaline soil, it can grow in sandy soil and clayey soil, and grows best in slightly acidic sandy loam. You can use equal parts leaf mold and vegetable garden soil mixed as the growing medium.

2. Potting: When potting Cleome, first place a 2 cm thick layer of coarse-grained substrate or ceramsite at the bottom of the pot, sprinkle a layer of fully decomposed organic fertilizer on top as a base fertilizer about 1 to 2 cm thick, then cover with another layer of substrate about 1 to 2 cm thick, and then place the plant in so as to separate the fertilizer from the roots and avoid burning the roots.

3. Fertilizing: Like other herbaceous flowers, Cleome has a relatively high demand for fertilizer and water, but the principle of “light fertilizer applied frequently, small amounts more often, complete nutrition” should be followed, and after fertilizing, the leaves and flowers should be kept dry at night. For potted plants, apply 2 to 3 times of dilute compound liquid fertilizer during the bud stage, and they can bloom during the Spring Festival.

4. Pinching: Before flowering, Cleome is generally pinched twice to encourage more flowering branches to sprout. One to two weeks after potting, remove the top shoot and keep the lower 3 to 4 leaves to encourage branching. Carry out the second pinching 3 to 5 weeks after the first pinching. When planted in flower beds, spent flowers should be removed in time.

5. Watering: Cleome is fairly drought-tolerant, but it grows better when given higher air humidity. In midsummer, water daily and water thoroughly. It likes higher air humidity; if the air humidity is too low, individual flowers will fade faster. It also fears rain, and the leaves need to be kept dry at night. The optimal relative air humidity is 65 to 75%.

6. Light: Cleome likes high temperatures and tolerates summer heat. Its optimal growth temperature is 20°C to 32°C. It likes sunlight and warmth, tolerates heat, and is slightly tolerant of semi-shade, but is not cold-tolerant; the plants die as soon as frost occurs. Although it can grow under semi-shade conditions, in order to keep it dwarf, it should be exposed to direct light as much as possible, preferably more than 4 hours per day.

7. Pests and Diseases: Cleome is often harmed by leaf spot disease and rust disease. For leaf spot disease, spray with 50% thiophanate wettable powder at 500 times dilution; for rust disease, spray with 50% carboxin wettable powder at 3000 times dilution for control. During the seedling stage, lepidopteran pests are likely to appear, and the insecticide abamectin at 4000 times dilution can be used for foliar spraying.