Last year a beautiful white Cleome appeared on the side patio – a seed had germinated from flowers I had planted two years previously. It became a huge, multi-stemmed shrub last year, with a central stalk the diametre of a decent sized sunflower. As happens, I neglected to completely deadhead it and of course this past spring a small jungle of Cleome seedlings appeared. With a bit of sadness I pulled out all but three, and they’re all now showing their first flowers.
Or they would, if I hadn’t cut one down to a bare 10 cm since it was obscuring and shading out an urn with red Pelagoriums sitting in the middle of the three Cleome. That’s when I discovered that these Cleome have not just sticky hairy stalks and stems, but also full fledged thorns on said stalks and stems. I’ve not noticed this previously so I wonder if they are reverting back to a more natural form, before thorniness was selected out by nursery men and women. After this painful discovery, I must admit I was less dismayed by my previous act of pulling seedlings, as well as the chopping down I had just done.
Of course I put the discarded flower top in a jar (it lost quite a few petals in the journey from patio to jar, I’m afraid…), and snipped handfuls of Coreopsis and lavender, also growing beside the patio, to join it. Here first is the finished vase, joining Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for her weekly cut flower theme, followed by a few photos of the scene of the crime. Happy Monday everyone!
A friend was delighted to find an ‘accidental’ Cleome finally blooming in her garden. I’m going to direct her to this post; I suspect she will be interested.
That’s so fascinating – that the seeds will last and decide one year to germinate. And become a monster plant, so unlike what you might purposely grow…
I have tried growing cleome from seed a number of times with no success, so I haven’t experienced the thorns, although I have heard others mention them. You must have perfect conditions if they self-seed so abundantly Chris! Your remnant looks lovely, lording it over the lavender and coreopsis
Thanks Cathy!
And they smell like skunk, too! But still, I let a few remain in the garden for bouquets. A hoe takes out the unwanted ones easily enough. 😉
Yup!
A wonderful bunch of flowers. I love that cleome. They are amazing.
It’s one of the more interesting plants in the garden, that’s for sure!
Thanks for the rundown on the Cleome! I’ve contemplated planting those but I really don’t care much for sticky flowers, much less ones that add thorns to the mix.
LOL! At least it looks great in the garden.
Great to see some lavendar. I thought it was salvia! I have had sharp cleome like that before.
Really! Ugh! Its natural defences are top notch I guess, especially for a flower.
Ew! I did not know they grew like that naturally. I have no experience with Cleome.
The prickles were definitely a surprise!
I always forget how prickly they are until it is too late. Ouch! I have stopped using them in vases though as they have a rather pungent smell. Have you noticed that? Such pretty flowers though, and the vase is lovely!
I’ve only used them a few times – like this week when I was cutting the huge stalk down anyway. I’ve never actually tried to smell them, but Eliza mentioned they smell like skunk…
Or tom cats…. 😜