Friday, September 5, 2014

Cleome (Spider Flower)

 Cleome likes a hot, full sun location. 

In a mass planting such as this, they are really attractive.

Apparently, Cleome is a C4 photosynthesizer which means that they are able to fix more carbon than the majority of plants which are C3 photosynthesizers.  Most of the C4 plants are coincidentally drought resistant as well.   They include sedges, daisies and asters, brassicas and spurges.  And yes, the bees like cleome, too.
 In the right location, it is an easy plant to grow and will even self-sow.  Cleome isn't often for sale in flats because it doesn't bloom until later in the summer, but it will grow just fine planted directly in the garden in the spring.

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