Today cleoma is an infrequent guest of domestic flower beds. The flower growers did not like it very much. Like, it has a rather strange shape, flowers are also not for everybody's taste, and their smell is far from floral, with its own specificity, even frightening. With such a characteristic, hardly anyone wants to acquire the seeds of such a flower and grow it in their flower bed.
But you can also characterize such a plant in a different way and you get a more forest description. A flower with charming flowering, beautifully shaped leaves, very decorative, acquires an original look with age, does not fade for a long time after cutting, has a smell that can get rid of unwanted insects and pests. Although this is an annual plant, its stems are getting stronger every day, the flower can reach 1.5 meters in height, becoming a tree in miniature.
The queen among the flowers of cleoma does not aspire to become. She is more suited to the status of an extravagant foreigner, which only brave and radical gardeners dare to start. But many people like cleoma. She is also unpretentious and resistant, as everyone knows zinnias and marigolds. And how beautiful it blooms! The appearance of flowers on a plant is similar to small butterflies or dragonflies, or maybe spiders. Indeed, in the translation of cleoma, this is a spider plant. Even after flowering, it has an attractive appearance. Instead of buds, seed pods are formed, which are densely located and are kept on the plant until late autumn. If you turn on your imagination and look at such a flower from a distance, it is like an open bottle of champagne with splashes on the sides.
What does this South American (her origin) beauty need to feel great in our latitudes?
How to grow glue
This flower loves to receive the sun in all its forms. Cleome should have enough light, warmth and space. Feels great in the latitudes of the south. But if she is given proper care in the seedling method, she will delight gardeners with her beauty in colder regions. This plant is grown using seeds. First, it is better to get seedlings from the seeds, and in the future it will be possible to try to sow the seeds directly into the ground at the site. It is imperative to take into account that cleoma has a long development period, and if you are late with sowing the seeds, they may not ripen for the next season, they will not have time. Then, next year, they will be bored with buying seeds again, because they will not have their own.
Growing from seeds. Starting from mid-February, it is already possible to sow seeds for seedlings. Seedlings will appear in two weeks. True, these will be frail and sluggish boring, but you should not be upset. As soon as two leaves are formed, plant growth slows down and mass build-up begins. So, when it is necessary to land on open ground, it will already be a fully developed plant.
The transplant is very harmful to cleome, so the dive must be done on time: two leaves appeared and dive right away. Children need to be planted deeper and separately, cups are perfect. The level of cotyledon leaves is just a good measure, so the plant survival rate will be better.
Soil and place. Shade and partial shade are not allowed, only a bright place. The soil can be any, but if it is fertile land, then cleoma will grow and bloom more abundantly.Before planting, it is advisable to fertilize the soil, a little mineral fertilizers and organic matter will only benefit. Thick glue does not need to be planted. From thickening, it will not be so high, and the flowering will lose its attractiveness.
Watering and fertilizing. Here you need to approach individually. Some sources claim that cleoma loves moisture very much, while others advise to be careful with watering. It is necessary to find a middle ground: do not flood the plant and do not expose it to drought.
The flower must be fed every two weeks. When growing and flowering, he spends a lot of energy, so he needs help.
Seed collection. As already mentioned, this is an annual plant and a lot of seeds can be harvested for the coming season in the fall. Only here there is no need to rush, the seed boxes should be completely dry. After that, it remains to correctly fulfill the conditions for their safety, and when the time comes, grow healthy seedlings.
The smell of a flower cannot be called pleasant, and it is far from floral, but it is almost inaudible. But all sorts of flies and pests perfectly feel the aroma of cleoma, and they do not like it at all, and this is just in the hands of gardeners. And, in general, with such a beauty of flowering, you completely forget about the smell. Cut flowers can last up to two weeks without losing their beauty.
Cleoma is perfect for decorating a flower bed. There are plants that have one thing beautifully, or flowers or leaves, but here are two in one! Such a flower is irresistible both in the development process and during the flowering period. It is worth trying to dilute the glue yourself and then everything will immediately become clear.
