Cleome lutea - yellow beeplant

Well shoot I'll still be lurking around next year when y'all try to get them again. It is exciting waiting for the mystery plants to bloom. That is a pretty pink though.

Okay Everyone, I just found a source that is selling the Cleome Lutea http://www.nativeplantandseed.com/seeds2.asp# I have already placed my order. They sell it in 2grams I am not saying how many grams I bought lol :o) But I got my order in. The place is in Flagstaff, Az. Not sure how good this company is, but will see how long it takes to get mine. They do charge 8.1% sells tax reguardless where your at. Hope you all get some.

Oh yeah you have to click on the little shopping cart to order, then you can add to the order.

Connie

Connie,
Well it's about time is it not????? So happy to hear they finally got some in and available for us to order. I'll be ordering mine today!
Thanks for the heads up!

Haven't forgotten about the white or vanilla marigold seeds I promised you....I will be mailing them soon, just figured you probably wouldn't need them until spring so haven't mailed them yet but I will my friend...don't worry.

RJ

NP Jane,

I was surprised to see they had the lutea listed considering they told me they wouldn't have them until March... BTW approximately how many seeds is 2 grams?

Connie

Thank you Connie I ordered my seed maybe one of us will be able to get it to come up.I'm not sure how well it is going to like my himid weather. Cindy

Connie do you know how big Cleome seeds are?

I will see if any of my other Cleome has any seeds on them and if they do maybe I can tell you approx. how many seeds would be in 2 grams.

Will get back with ya on this.


RJ

I assume they are the same size as the rest of the cleome family :o) Thanks will be waiting to find out *grinning* Connie

Connie! You are awesome! If I ever need anybody tracked down, I am going to call you for sure!

Anybody want to split a gram with me?

Suzy

I ordered mine along with some other things of course!! Thanks for the link Connie.

WOW!!!!!! Good work Connie! I just about gave up on them. I am going to order mine right away!
Thanks again!!
How on earth did you manage to find them? I searched and made phone calls for months!

Connie,
I can't find any Cleome seeds in all the seeds I have....can u believe this?

Anyway, if you or anyone else has any seeds.....it takes 4grams to make a teaspoon.....just fill a 1/2teaspoon up and count the seeds and this is how many would be in 2 grams.

You probably already knew this....but I have to admit I had to do a little research on google before I knew how many grams were in a teaspoon.

I am so glad you all found those seeds. : ) I've always loved Cleomes but everytime I plant them the cabbage white butterfly caterpillars eat them up. I might try again, tho whenever my greenhouse decides to get here.

When you get them up and blooming next year show me the pictures. I would love to see them. : )
~Lucy

Well Poop, I just got a call from the Native Seed Place in Flagstaff, and they are unable to fill my order :( What a disappointment. She said she really didn't know why or when they would be able to get some.

Hopefully by March.

Me too Connie, really disappointed!!

Same here on the call! I was really disappointed.

Im going to be watching here for more info. I would love to try some of the yellow. I was just ready to go order some seed but finished the post and saw the report.
Dixie

I got the call Too. I talked to her quite awhile really nice person. I'm glad she didn't email because it probably would have gone to junk.

:( I was so excited, when you said they had them, then I kept reading, what a let down. Oh well, hopefully in March. I'm keeping my fingers crossed( X ).

Moe

I'm just curious, I'm sure there are many member here on Dave's that live in areas where this elusive flower grows wild along the roads, such as Arizona...does anyone have family or know a member well enough that they could ask them to collect us all just a few seeds each.

I have talked back and forth thru dmails with Connie and I have felt so hopeful time after time with leads we would get only to be let down.

Kyle Wallick a Botanist at the United States Botanic Garden has even promised that the next time he drives thru Arizona he would stop along the road and gather me a few seeds....well you guessed it....I'm still waiting just as we all are. What's the deal with this flower....someone has got to have these seeds!

RJ

I agree, RJ!! SOMEBODY has to have some!!!

There used to be a company called Native Flora, Inc, that sold C. lutea and C. serrulata. I used to get the seeds through them, but last year the website disappeared. Now I'm blowing in the wind, trying to locate someone who sells them. :(

Moe

That's a bummer about the seed company. Sorry my lead didn't pan out this year. I drove through Railroad Valley in September and saw some flowers that I thought were Cleome lutea, but they turned out to be Cleomella parviflora and there wasn't a ripe seed pod at any of the places I stopped. I think a late season thunderstorm had given them enough water to start growing but they were very late. I haven't had a chance to go back there yet, but my new job will take me out to that area next summer, so I will keep my eyes open. Maybe we will actually get some rain this winter.

Has anyone tried to contact botanists that work for public agencies or universities? In Nevada, the Forest Service used to have a botanist that was interested in collecting seeds (me). Cleome is more likely to grow on BLM lands or highway right-of-ways than Forest Service land. The USDA PLANTS database has species distributions and you might find someone in the right area who will try to find seeds for you. It's a long shot; you will probably find a lot of people who think you are nuts too!

Hi folks,
I don't know where seed of the apparently elusive native C.lutea can be found, but 3 of the four African species of cleome that Silverhill Seeds (in South Africa) lists right now are yellow flowered ones. Two of the species have photos, C. angustifolia looks particularly nice. Their seeds sell for 3 dollars per pack, counts are not overly generous, but enough to get started. Their site is online and easy to order from.
Hope this helps,
Ernie

Ut oh.

Connie, It still goes -- I'll split with you.

Suzy

Hi Ernie,
Thank you for the info, but I wouldn't want to grow a foreign Yellow Cleome. I wouldn't want it to become a pest by taking over for the native Cleome lutea's. It is apparantly becoming rare, from the looks of it.

Moe

Hi again,
Moe, you need not worry about South African cleome species becoming invasive species in your (our) part of the country. Arizona or California might be a different matter. I collected and brought back a number of SA species in years past, plus grow others from Silverhill Seeds and other sources, and while some may resow in my garden, and a few species are even winter hardy, none show any invasive potential in this part of the country. Our natural climax communities in the Northeast are basically decidous forest, very poorly suited for naturalization of South African plants, which tend to like lots of sun and little competition from taller plants.
Cleomes are, in general, pollinated by generalist pollinators like bees, so the rather unspecialized niche occupied by Cleome lutea is unlikely to be seriously affected even if other cleome species were introduced into its native range. Apparently C. lutea is commonly found in association with a native pink cleome in the wild. I had my students observe pollinators on the African species C. hirta in my school garden in Sept, it seemed that bumblebees were the most common pollinator by far. It is a pink flowered species with rather cool yellow "eyes", not as showy as the common garden sort, but pretty in a wildflower sort of way.
From what I can gather on the net, it seems that C. lutea has a very large range (basically the entire western USA) and is not noted to be rare or in decline--I suspect the biggest problem is simply finding someone to collect the seed at the right time. It does appear to be a showy plant, one that might be lovely in a garden. While I don't recall noticing it in their past lists, it might be worth asking Ron Ratko of Northwest Native Seeds, the folks that run Southwestern Native Seeds (based in AZ), or Alan Bradshaw of Alplains if they could collect and offer seed. I am sure all of the above must be familiar with C. lutea, since all of them are experienced collectors of native seed within the range of C. lutea. If there is sufficient interest, one or all three could probably offer it.
Good luck in your quest!
Ernie

Ernie thank you so much for your valuable input , taking the time to post here.
Cindy

Thank you, Ernie. I'll check them out and see if they would collect some for us.

Moe

Hi Everyone,

I've just sent emails to Ron Ratko and Alan Bradshaw asking their help in locating the Cleome lutea. Please, keep your fingers crossed, that they will be able to help us out.

Hugs,
Moe

I have just stumbled across this thread and read with interest all the ups and downs of everyone trying to find this seed. Well thanks a lot! LOL! Now I'm hooked on finding that elusive yellow cleome. I, too, have the white, pink, and violet cleome, but now I've GOT to have the yellow.

JoAnn

Hi JoAnn,

If I locate any I'll let you know.

Hugs,
Moe

Alan Bradshaw sent me a reply to my query about C. lutea. His reply is below:

Thanks Moe and everyone,
Hi there JoAnn :o)
I haven't been around to much, been a little busy here with the hh swap and the new ggd and dh has started working on our new bedroom. I am trying to get all my WSing jugs together and pots cleaned. etc etc lol... Going to try and get over and spend a couple hours with my dad today. Haven't got to do a whole lot since my gd & ggd moved in.

We started our Christmas shopping yesterday. It was fun to get out of the house for a while. I bought a 4 ft fiber optic Tree and got it up. This is way way early for me. I usually don't get my tree up til maybe the week b4 Christmas.

Here's a pic of my little Angel Baby as I call her :o)

AWWWW Connie, she's beautiful!
I haven't heard the term Angel Baby since my dad was here this summer. That is what he has always called my daughter too. She is his only grand-daughter out of 5 grandchildren and she's 13 1/2 now but will always be "Grandpa's Angel Baby" *lol* She misses him SO much during the winter when he goes to Florida (he's a snow bird)..........Maine during the spring/summer...........Florida in the winter *lol*

She's SOOO cute...........enjoy her LOTS!

Kim

Oh Kim believe me I do. I go around singing the song Angel Baby to her, she loves it :o) My gd has decided to go back to school, so I get to watch her :o) I am loving it *grinning* She is such a good baby, even with a touch of colic. She is already spoiled rotten lol

Connie............she is a doll baby! She is most surely a little angel sent from above!
If you should ever need a extra grandma to come help ya snuggle her little neck and kiss her sweet little head.............I'm available.
Heck with those elusive seeds!!!!! Babies are lot's more fun!

RJ

Those babies keep us young but also wear our butts out. LOL
Beautiful Angel Connie

Hi Connie,
I keep checking up on the yellow cleome, just to see what is happening. I cannot believe this vast and varied group of folks cannot come up with that seed - I didn't think there was anything that could slip by this group as a whole!!!
Anyway, your granddaughter is adorable!!! You really ought to get her some pretty dresses though -LOL
Merry Christmas to you and all who read this!!
Linda

Hi Linda,
We do have some really cute dresses for her, her grpapa just bought her some for christmas :o)

As far as the c. lutea goes, I am not giving up. I know someone will come across with some fresh seeds sooner or later. I hope its sooner but we will see :o)

Well the little angel is waking up so I am going to have to go and take care of her.

Happy Holidays

Connie

Hi Everyone,

I just got word back from Ron Ratko. He doesn't have any C. lutea, but he did give me two more people to contact. His email reply to me is below.

Hugs,
Moe