(clee-o’me hass-lair-ee-aa’nah)
Common name: Spider Flower
Family: Capparidaceae, Caper
Height x width: 3-5’ tall x 3-5’ wide
Growth rate: moderate to fast
Foliage: 5-7 palmate, glandular hairs, minute teeth on margins; leaflets ovate to lanceolate to 5" long; spines at leaf stalk bases
Flowers: white, pink, or purple; scented; long stamens make flowers resemble spiders, over 1" across and 2-3" long, in terminal racemes of many florets; flowers are long lasting (see note below under interest)
Hardiness: annual
Soil: most, well-drained
Light: sun
Pests and Problems: aphids, spider mites and whiteflies especially as seedlings indoors; fungal spots, rusts, powdery or downy mildew occasionally outdoors
Landscape habit, uses: back of borders, massed, spaced with other annuals underplanted, cut flowers, temporary shrub; good for hot climates; generally withstands wind without staking
Other interest: native to South America; studies by Prof. Connie Nozolillo of the Univ. Ottawa (personal correspondance) found the color pigments in the flowers are a mixture of several acylated anthocyanins and are produced only in the epidermal cells in the paler tones and in both the epidermis and mesophyll cells in the darker tones.
Other culture: keep well-watered if dry
Propagation: seeds sown indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost, or in warmer climates outdoors after frost
Cultivars: all are commonly seen
| Cultivar | flowers | other |
| Colour Fountain Mix | mix | |
| ‘Helen Campbell’ | white | |
| Queen Hybrids | various or mix | |
| 'Sparkler Blush' | pink | low |
| 'Spirit Appleblossom' | pink |
Return to HGPO
course | PSS123 course
