Queen Cleome

Cleome hassleriana 'Queen'

flower

Queen is the classic spider flower series of Cleome hassleriana, sending up dramatic 3 to 5 ft stems topped with airy, spidery flower heads of pink, rose, violet, or white all summer. The long, whisker-like stamens and seedpods give it its name, and its heat tolerance and self-seeding habit make it a low-care back-of-border annual and pollinator favorite.

☀️

Sun

full sun

💧

Water

Every 7 days

🌸

Bloom

~80 days

📊

Difficulty

easy

🌱

Lifecycle

annual

One season, then done

↔️

Spacing

12-18 in. apart

⬇️

Planting Depth

Press seed on surface (needs light)

🧪

Soil pH

6.0-7.0

Growing Details

Soil Type

Average, well-draining

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3 – 10

Grown as an annual — this range is its winter hardiness, but you can grow it for a single season in any zone.

When to Fertilize

Light feed at planting

Fertilizer

Balanced or compost; low needs

🌱 Growing Guide

Start seed indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost or sow directly after frost, pressing the seed onto the surface since light is needed to germinate; a brief chill before sowing improves germination. Cleome wants full sun and average, well-drained soil and is happiest in lighter ground. Plants are heat- and drought-tolerant once established and need little care beyond staking in rich soil. Wear gloves when handling, as the stems bear small spines. It self-sows readily, so deadhead if you want to limit its spread.

🌼 Have a different variety?Cultivars of the same species usually share the same basic care — they differ mainly in flower color, height, and bloom form, not in how you grow them. So this guide still applies even if your exact variety isn't the one shown.

Planting Calendar

🌱

Start seeds indoors

Mar 4

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Transplant outdoors

Apr 15

🌸

Projected first bloom

Jul 4

JJan

FFeb

MMar

AApr

MMay

JJun

JJul

AAug

SSep

OOct

NNov

DDec

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

Zinnia — Fills the mid-border below tall cleome and draws daytime butterflies and bees
Cosmos — Shares lean soil and full sun while feeding bees and hoverflies
Salvia — Adds nectar for bees and hummingbirds across the same long season

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

Aphids
Cleome is seldom troubled; support resident ladybugs and lacewings and rinse off any clusters
Self-seeding
Deadhead spent heads before the pods ripen to keep volunteers in check the following spring

🌸 Blooms & cutting

Cut stems in the morning when about half the flowers on the head are open; wear gloves, as the stems carry small spines and the foliage is pungent. Deadhead to limit prolific self-seeding, or leave a few seedpods to let it return next year.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

A long-blooming nectar source whose tall, airy flower heads feed bees and butterflies by day and are especially valuable to evening pollinators - hummingbird (hawk) moths and hummingbirds work the long-tubed blooms at dusk.

For educational and informational purposes only — HomeSown is not medical, health, or other professional advice. Always positively identify any plant before handling or eating it; some plants, and some parts of otherwise-edible plants, are toxic. Consult a qualified professional before consuming or otherwise using any plant, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a health condition.