Characteristics of cleoma, recommendations for growing in the garden, how to reproduce, protection from pests and diseases, facts to note, species and varieties.
Cleome is sometimes found in sources called Cleome. This plant is referred by botanists to the Cleomaceae family of the same name, which combines only 8-10 genera. Until recently, all members of this family belonged to a different family - Casperovye (Capparaceae), but after carrying out genetic research, scientists have carried out a separation. The distribution of such plants on the planet is very wide; they can be found in areas where there is a warm and temperate climate. The genus contains about 170 species.
| Family name | Cleomaceae |
| Growth cycle | Perennial or annual |
| Growth form | Herbaceous or semi-shrub |
| Reproduction type | In our latitudes, only seed |
| Time to transplant seedlings into the garden | Late spring or early summer |
| Disembarkation scheme | The distance between plants should be within 50-70 cm |
| Substrate | Loose and fertile |
| Indicators of soil acidity, pH | Neutral - 6, 5-7 |
| Lighting level | Preferably a bright sunny location |
| Recommended humidity | Abundant hydration in summer heat |
| Special Requirements | Non-capricious |
| Height indicators | 0.9–1.5 m |
| Color of flowers | Snow white, yellow, pink or purple |
| Inflorescences or type of flowers | Racemose inflorescences of correct flowers |
| Flowering time | June to early autumn |
| Decorative period | Spring-summer |
| Places of application | Decoration of paths and mixborders, as a tapeworm, the formation of hedges, shelter of outbuildings |
| USDA zone | 4–9 |
It is not known for certain why this representative of the flora bears such a poetic name "cleoma", but in Germany it is called "spinenpflanze", which translates as "spider plant". In all likelihood, this was due to the very peculiar outlines of the inflorescences. The flowers collected in a brush look like spiders with long legs or a spray of champagne.
All types of cleoma have both one-year and long-term life cycles, have a herbaceous or semi-shrub growth. The stems are erect, strong in outline and well-branched at the top. Plant height rarely exceeds 1.5 m. In the root zone, lignification of the stems is possible. Leaf plates and shoots have a hairy cover. The hairs are short, sticky to the touch, glandular. This sticky substance has an unpleasant odor and serves to repel insects. At the same time, the foliage resembles the leaves of castor bean or fatsia. Some species are characterized by spines growing on the back of the leaves. Cleoma leaf plates are attached in succession to the branches with petioles measuring 15 cm. The size of the leaves is bushy, it reaches 20 cm in diameter. Also at the base are two stipules with a prickly shape, reaching a height of 3 mm. The foliage is simple or pinnate, composed of five, but in rare cases of seven leaf lobes. The shape of the leaflets is elongated and linear, the edge is all-edged. On the tops of the leaves there are small denticles or the edge is solid. Foliage color is light green.
The flowering of the spider plant is attractive. The inflorescences have a racemose shape and are located at the tops of the stems, they collect flowers of the correct shape. Peduncles are elongated. Petals in flowers are usually characterized by a snow-white, yellow, pink or crimson shade. In the flower, elongated stamens look spectacular, effectively hanging from the corolla, they resemble spider legs, for which the plant began to bear an unusual name among the Germans.
The process of opening the buds begins in the first days of summer and stretches until the beginning of September. When blooming, a sweetish strange non-floral aroma spreads, which insects do not like too much. Then the question is, who is the pollinator of the "spider plant"? The thing is that in conditions of natural growth, flowers attract small bats, which act as pollinating insects. After the process of transferring pollen from one flowers to another has passed, the fruits ripen, presented in cleoma by a single-nested, multi-seeded box, which has the shape of a pod. Its length is about 15 cm and a width of 3 cm. The seeds are small, black, there are almost two dozen of them. These fruits do not fall until frost, decorating the cleome branches.
It is noteworthy that during flowering, the buds begin to bloom, which are located in the lower part of the inflorescence, and when the flowering wave reaches the top, the lower flowers will turn into pods.
A plant with a fountain of its inflorescences will not leave anyone indifferent, although in central Russia it is customary to grow it as an annual. At the same time, there are no great requirements for cultivation and even a novice florist can cope with it.
Recommendations for growing cleoma in the garden
- A place for planting seedlings. It is necessary to choose a well-lit area, since this factor will directly affect the splendor and duration of the flowering of the spider plant. It is also necessary that there be protection from drafts and gusts of wind.
- Cleoma primer must be with good permeability, providing access to the roots of air and moisture, but at the same time have a large amount of nutrients. Acidic reaction is preferable normal with a pH of 6, 5-7. Dry and poor soil will not promote normal vegetation and flowering. In the case when the composition of the soil is unsuitable on the site (it is depleted), it is recommended to make two tbsp per 1 m2 before planting. l. dressings for decorative flowering crops (for example, Kemira-Universal) and up to 10 liters of rotted manure (it is recommended to use a bucket). It is better to buy fertilizer in granular form, so that it is easier to mix with the substrate.
- Planting cleoma is carried out when the threat of return frosts is left behind, and this can be both the end of May and the beginning of summer. After planting, the seedlings can be helped to adapt faster by spraying with a growth stimulator (Epin-Extra can act as it), mixed with a micronutrient fertilizer of the Cytovit type (an agent that helps to increase the resistance of plants under adverse conditions). Mix, following the instructions attached to the preparation. Since cleoma seedlings, when diving, are transplanted into peat-humus pots, they can be immediately installed in prepared holes. If the containers are made of artificial material, then you need to carefully remove the plants, while trying not to destroy the earthen ball and not injure the root system. They try to maintain the distance between young seedlings within the range of 0, 35–0, 8 m. This indicator directly depends on what size of the bush you want to get in the future. In this case, it is important that the root collar of the seedling is, after installation in the hole, at the same level with the soil. When planting, they try not to thicken the plants so that this does not provoke the possibility of damage by harmful insects and diseases. The flowering will be plentiful when properly positioned and the flowers will not lose their brightness. After the seedlings are installed in the hole, it is covered to the top with a substrate and watering is carried out under the root of the plant with a solution of humate.
- Watering cleoma is not difficult, since under normal climatic conditions and regular rains, the plant will have enough natural moisture. However, if there was no precipitation for a long time in the spring or summer months, and the temperature is high, then soil moisture should be abundant, but not frequent. Filling the soil will lead to decay of the stems and foliage.
- Fertilizers for "spider plants" are applied regularly once every 14 days. It is better to take complex mineral preparations that are poured directly under the root of the cleoma. It is recommended to use such products as Kemira-Universal, Fertika-Lux or Fertika-Combi. Top dressing is bought in liquid form, and then diluted in water for irrigation. Two tablespoons of the drug are poured into a 10-liter bucket. If the plant is weak or diseased, then it is recommended to spray the foliage with similar means, that is, to carry out foliar feeding. In this case, the same fertilizers are used - one tsp is bred. in a three-liter can of water. Then the product is poured into a finely dispersed spray bottle, and the cleome plantings are sprayed. To activate flowering, it is recommended to use growth stimulants (for example, Zircon) before the buds are formed on the branches of the bush. Typically, such a solution is obtained by stirring 1 ml of the product in a liter can of water.
- General advice on cleoma care. It is important after precipitation or watering to loosen the soil so that it is not taken by the crust and allows water and air to pass to the roots. In order for the substrate to remain dry for a longer time, it is recommended to mulch the trunk circle with peat chips. Weeds are regularly required to weed. Faded buds need to be cut off periodically, leaving only those that are useful for collecting seeds so that the plant does not lose its decorative effect. Such a procedure will protect against self-seeding, which is the characteristic of a spider plant. Since some types of cleome have a considerable height, they can decay from the wind. Therefore, it is recommended to dig in wooden or iron posts (stakes) in the corners of the flower bed, and stretch a line between them, which will interfere with the collapse of the plant.
- Collection of cleoma seeds. Since the reproduction of this plant is carried out in our latitudes exclusively with the help of seeds, in order to enjoy its flowering next year, you need to collect the seed material. The maturity of the seed pods in cleome can be determined by eye - at the same time they turn brown, and the seeds in them take on a yellow or brown hue (this color directly depends on the color of the petals in the flowers). The diameter of such seeds is not less than 1.5 mm, the shape is round. In order not to miss when the pods crack, and the seeds fall to the ground, then several pieces of them (those that grow nearby) are placed in a bag of gauze. When the ripening process is complete, the fruits are cut, and the seeds are removed and used for autumn or spring sowing.
- Cleoma wintering. Since a plant cannot survive on our territory in winter, even with careful shelter, then with the arrival of November, all the bushes must be disposed of. Dig up the soil, and at the beginning of winter it is recommended to sow seeds (before winter) so that they can germinate with the arrival of spring. The sowing site is covered with spruce branches, which are removed after the snow melts and warm weather returns.
- Application in landscape design. Cleoma blooms very decoratively and therefore is capable of overshadowing any other garden plantings. For this reason, it is recommended to plant such bushes as tapeworms. But in extreme cases, scented tobacco or lavatera can be excellent neighbors. From the plantings of a spider plant, you can form hedges or plant them as the background of a flower garden. If the variety is undersized, then it can be used to decorate tracks and mixborders. On the flower beds next to it, asters and salvias, delphiniums, marigolds and echinocea will look good, rudebequia and gedenium with physosthenia will serve as a shade. If you cut off branches with decorative inflorescences, then in a vase they can stand up to 10 days. Therefore, spinenpflanze is used by florists to make bouquets.
Cleoma breeding tips
In our latitudes, the "spider plant" is propagated only by means of seeds, but at the same time you can grow seedlings or sow material directly into the ground. It is important to use seeds harvested immediately after ripening, as they will not be able to maintain their qualities for a long time (no more than six months).
If sowing is carried out in the soil, then it is carried out in late September or early October. Then, with the arrival of spring, it will be possible to see the first shoots, and when they grow up, transplant them to a permanent place in the garden. In this case, the seedlings should be regularly watered, weed and fed. You can sow seeds of cleoma in the spring - in the last week of April or at the beginning of May days, after the soil is well warmed up. The depth of the planting in the garden will be 2 cm, mulching with humus is carried out on top. As soon as the first shoots appear, they are watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and after two weeks they are fertilized.
Sowing seedlings
This method allows you to get strong seedlings and wait for the early flowering. The collected seeds are dried and stored until the end of February or the first decade of March. Before sowing, the seed is soaked in a growth stimulator (for example, in Zircon or Epin), using 2 drops of the product in 250 ml of warm water. In such a solution, the seeds should spend at least half a day. You can swing the seeds, placing them in places with different temperatures - during the day, put them on a windowsill, illuminated by the sun, and put them on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator at night (the temperature there is about 4–6 degrees Celsius). For sowing, separate peat pots or seedling boxes are used, which are filled with peat-sandy substrate. Instead, a soil mixture from garden soil, humus and river sand in a ratio of 2: 2: 1 may be suitable.
Seeds are spread on the surface of the substrate or shallow grooves are made in the soil (no more than 3-4 cm) and seeds are evenly scattered into them. Cover the top with a layer of the same substrate, no more than 1.5 cm. A piece of glass is placed on top of the container or wrapped with plastic wrap to create the conditions of a mini-greenhouse, where it is warm and humid. In this case, it is necessary to periodically moisten the drying soil and ventilate the crops daily.
Seedling care
It will take a long time to see cleoma sprouts, they hatch after 14–20 days. After that, the box with the seedlings is placed in a well-lit place and they begin to light up in the evening, otherwise the young plants will quickly stretch out and weaken. As a preventive measure against various root diseases, it is necessary to water the seedlings once with a weak solution of potassium permanganate (it should be light pink). Watering is carried out in such a way that the soil does not dry out, but it should not be waterlogged either.
After the cleoma seedlings acquire a pair of true leaves, a pick is carried out in individual peat pots (about 300 ml) or peat tablets. Such containers will facilitate the subsequent planting of plants in open ground.
Important
Do not delay too much with the transplant, since, growing up cleomas, it will be more difficult to endure such an operation.
Seedlings are planted in the same substrate, but they are buried to the cotyledonous leaves. After 14 days have passed from the moment of picking, it is recommended to water the young cleomes with a weak solution of complex fertilizer, and then continue feeding every half a month. Periodically, you need to turn the pots towards the light source so that the seedlings grow evenly.
With the arrival of constant spring heat, you can plant plants in a prepared place in the garden.
Protecting cleoma in the garden from pests and diseases
You can delight flower growers with the fact that, thanks to the unpleasant aroma and bitter juice of the leaves, the plant copes well with harmful insects, so the pests almost never come close to planting cleoma. Growing problems can begin only if agricultural practices are violated - for example, excessive watering or prolonged rains. One of these problems is gray rot. This disease can be provoked not only by waterlogging of the soil, but also by the wrongly chosen place for planting, if it is very dark and damp. In this case, it is recommended to dig up the plant, remove all affected parts. After that, treatment with a fungicidal preparation (for example, Fundazol) is carried out and the bush is transplanted to a suitable place in the garden.
Facts to note about cleome
There is some information that the name of the spider plant was its more ancient name, which indicated from something to mustard. Perhaps this was due to the unpleasant scent of the leaves, which was heard when they were rubbed.
Since the plant has an unpleasant odor that can scare away insects and other pests, it is recommended to plant glue next to other representatives of the flora or in the beds to protect them.
Types and varieties of cleoma
Although there are a large number of species in the genus, flower growers liked two and their varietal varieties Cleome Hassleriana and Cleome prickly (Cleome Spinosa). But in our flower shops there is an opportunity to meet only the last representative of this genus.
It is a perennial with a semi-shrub form of growth. The root system is powerful. The branches reach a height of 1.5 m, thickened. There is strong branching at the apex. The lower part is lignified, decorated with a large number of alternately placed leaves. The shape of the leaf is odd-pinnate, it can be five parts, sometimes this number increases to seven. The foliage is characterized by short 3 mm stipules that resemble thorns. The presence of these spines gave the name to the variety. The length of the flowering stem is 0.6–0.8 m. The flower stalk is crowned with a spherical inflorescence composed of flowers with pink or purple petals. The shape of the petals is fan-shaped, there are usually two pairs of them. Elongated filaments protrude among the petals, for this type of glue is often called a "spider plant".
Since this species has so many varieties, gardeners can choose plants with a variety of flower colors of their choice. Among them are:
- Violet Queen when blooming, flowers with purple-blueberry petals open, the color of the foliage is bright green.
- Splashes of champagne pleases in the middle of summer with flowers gathering in racemose inflorescences. The color of the petals is milky or pale pinkish. The size of the flowers reaches 5 cm in diameter. Flowering is extended from mid-summer until the arrival of frost.
- Cherry Queen attracts the eye with a bright color of flowers - carmine pink, the height of the branches is about 0.6 m. This variety is the most popular, since the flowers open up to a diameter of 2-3 cm, the unusual shape of the buds has a delicate aroma during flowering.
- Sparkler Lavender by the name it is clear that the flowers are with lavender or pale purple petals.
- Golden Sparklers has a short stature and golden color of the petals.
- Helen Campbell pleases with snow-white flowers on the stems.
- Rozakenigin will decorate the garden with pale pink inflorescences.
- Pink Queen flowers are painted in a pinkish color scheme.
- Giant Pink Cussen the owner of large-sized flowers of a dark pink hue.
But in the wild you can meet:
Cleome tetrandra
with a stem height of about 15-60 cm and bright yellow flowers. The flowering process takes place in the wild between January and July.
Cleome gynandra
in Africa it is used as a green vegetable, as it has edible leaves and flowers. It is distributed in the tropics and subtropics. The species is referred to as Sean's cabbage, african cabbage or cat mustache … Shoots are straight, reaching 25-60 cm in height. Leaves are rare, pinnate, consist of 3-5 leaf lobes of oval outlines. The color of the flowers is snow-white, becoming pinkish by the end of flowering. Seeds are spherical, brown in diameter, reaching 1.5 mm. The taste of the leaves is very bitter, sometimes there is a peppery aroma resembling mustard greens.
There are also many other curious species.
Video about growing cleoma:
