Cleome Seeds

Coming in at just shy of six feet tall, cleome, otherwise known as spider flower, is your garden's answer for back border height. Cleome seeds will produce softball sized clusters of rose, violet, cherry, and white blooms from summer through fall. With their dramatic stamens projecting out of their tall, exotic blooms, cleome acts as a lighthouse to the hummingbirds and butterflies in your area.

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

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

cleome history

A garden favorite since the 1800's, cleome or Cleome hassleriana, is native to Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay, and southern Brazil. This tender annual grows quickly from seed and offers rosy radiance to beds and borders, cottage gardens, butterfly gardens, and containers. Other names for cleome include spider flower, spider weed, and bee plant.

planting your own cleome seeds

Before planting, cleome requires cold stratification. To do this, soak the seeds for one to two hours. Use a paper towel to drain the water and spread the seeds out in a single layer on the paper towel. To keep seeds moist without letting them get soggy, wrap a dry paper towel around the wet one and place everything in a sealed plastic bag. Leave the bag in the refrigerator for about one month before your desired planting date. If your seeds start to sprout before the one month has passed, remove them immediately and plant indoors until they can be transplanted outdoors.

Direct sow your seeds or transplant outdoors after all threats of frost have passed. Cleomes prefer full sun or light shade in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils. Plant your cleome seeds 1/8 inch deep and leave uncovered. Plants should be spaced about three inches apart with 18 inches between rows. Plants started indoors may be transplanted after 21 to 25 days.

caring for your cleome blooms

Work in a slow-release fertilizer or add compost to the soil upon planting, or fertilize your established plants every six to eight weeks. Cleomes may require staking if planted in a windy area. Thin your plants 18 to 24 inches apart once they reach about three inches in height. Be sure to keep the soil moist, especially in hotter conditions, until the plants are firmly established. Once you've grown cleome flowers, they will naturally reseed, appearing in your garden seasonally for years to come!

These beautiful blooms are both deer resistant and rabbit resistant. They also are well known for attracting pollinators!

For more information about planting, growing, and caring for cleome flower seed, see the Cleome Seeds Planting Guide.