What does the spider flower look like? Detailed guide to planting methods and timing
If you have a small courtyard, or a small garden on the top floor of a self-built house, then it is strongly recommended that you grow a little elf from the Cleomaceae family, genus Cleome, called "spider flower." Its flowers have countless slender stamens like dancing tentacles, with petals surrounding them, looking just like nimble little elves, making people marvel at nature's uncanny workmanship.
Generally speaking, spider flower can be planted in the ground along courtyard walls or under trees, or grown in pots and placed on a windowsill or desk. It has high ornamental value, and its flowering season is in the warm months, when its flowers sway in the wind like a floral ball being performed right before your eyes. On the flower market, spider flower seeds are easy to buy. It is usually recommended to plant them at the edge of a courtyard or beside a balcony. The sowing time is spring, which ensures there is enough growing period after sowing to reach the flowering stage. In the place where sowing is needed, prepare in advance a soil that likes to be loose and well-drained. Some decomposed compost or farmyard manure can also be mixed into the soil. When broadcasting the seeds, cover them with about 1 cm of soil and keep the soil moist. The seeds will sprout within about two weeks.
The suitable temperature for spider flower is 20-30°C. In winter, if the temperature drops below 5°C, a cold-insulation film should be added over the flower bed to avoid damage to the plants. In the hot summer, additional misting equipment is needed to increase air humidity for them. For care at other times, during the early growth stage and when flower buds are forming, some balanced compound fertilizer should be applied additionally; doing so can help extend the flowering period. After the flowering period ends, dead and faded flower stems should be pruned properly; this can promote the growth of other new side branches and ensure healthy growth of the plant.
In addition, besides its high ornamental value, spider flower also has medicinal value and can kill insects and relieve itching. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is pungent, astringent, neutral, and slightly toxic. The whole plant can be used as medicine, and it can treat conditions such as rheumatic pain, damp-heat sores and toxins, and itchy skin pox. Through the careful care described above, you can easily enjoy at home the natural beauty and elegant atmosphere brought by spider flower.