Cleome, Spider Flower, Spider Legs, Grandfather's Whiskers 'Sparkler Blush'

I grew a bunch of Cleome this summer from seed and kept
them in a pot on my deck all summer. They were gorgeous
and quite ...Read Moreforgiving. I am on an island in Maine and the deer eat almost every flower I try to grow in my lawn. So yesterday I planted a few in the ground to see how they would fare. And so this morning I discovered the deer had been through and had chomped the flower heads off
3 of them along with my last day lily bud. I guess fencing
is the only answer...or just growing them in pots.

We have so many deer in our neighborhood, many of which congregate in the area directly behind my home. Our current herd is 20 strong. ...Read MoreI have been trying to find plants that they won't eat.

This year I did alot of research and planted numerous "deer resistant" seeds in the back of my home. Unfortunately, the deer ate every one of them...except for the Cleome. The Cleome are growing beautifully and I can't wait to see how they spread next year.

I have had many Cleome volunteers in my front yard over the years. I always thought they were pretty. However this is the first time I have truly appreciated them and grown to love them because the deer haven't eaten them! In fact the deer left all the plants in my front yard garden alone this year due to being surrounded by Cleome. I don't know if this always happens but I'm hoping it will again next year.

Cleome also attracts the most wonderful insects. I have a garden full of bees, butterflys both large and small and I am also visited frequently by hummingbird moths. If you haven't ever seen a hummingbird moth you are missing something wonderful. They are truly amazing and in my neighborhood they are huge.

These things grow like weeds, flowering prolifically and reseeding themselves every year. We have some in the full sun, where they thrive...Read More as described above. I've tried some in a fairly shady woodland that gets periodic sun, and they are growing but not thriving, producing only a few weak flowers. Some of those in the woods were planted from 4" seedlings; initially they just collapsed and looked like they'd not survive, but with watering they have recovered and are now healthy-looking small plants.

I love this plant. It gives off a rather "interesting" scent. You will either love or not. As soon as you touch its stems the scent gets ...Read Moremore intense. It's almost like its protecting itself.

I grow it indoors in my office. It was not suppose to grow at all. The seeds came from the dollar store as a joke. Now she is six feet tall living in a window box. I have to water her everyday or she fades with thirst.

If you grow from seed it takes some time to germinate. These took 3 months. (Could be the brand) The results were well worth the wait.