Cleome a/k/a "Polecat Plant"
In my younger years, we knew the cleome as the "Polecat" plant. A few years back, my wife and I were cleaning up around her old family home site when she noticed an old familiar plant that was just a few inches high. It's unique shaped leaves is what caught her attention and was able to identify it.
Granny (my wife) recalls the polecat plant for it's pretty pink flowers with tentacles like spider legs. Also, a faint but unique smell of a skunk (also known as a "polecat"). She also recalls it as being prickly if she got too familiar with it.
Today, the polecat plant has made a revival and is more popularly known by the more sofisticated name of cleome. It retails in garden stores at a neat price as well. If the truth be known, it can be reproduced by the dozens by saving the prolific seed pods and planting the next season.
However! I have been quite successful in the past growing all of the cleome I wanted. But for some strange reason that I haven't been able to determine, this year has been different. I have planted and re-planted cleome seed. Results- about four plants have come up. Very humiliating to say the least! All the while my son is telling me about how well his cleome is blooming and doing great!
Anyway, what are some of the qualities of the cleome?
Cleome looks great in tropical gardens with bananas -- after all, they do come from South America. To be honest, they fit in cottage gardens as well as they do at top resort golf courses. They reach close to 4 feet in height, attract hummingbirds and butterflies, and offer both heat and drought tolerance.
They are unbeatable for serving as the tall thriller plant in mixed containers. It goes well with almost any filler and spiller you may want to use.
For incorporating into your garden, select a site that is well drained and receives plenty of sunlight. Morning sun and afternoon shade will also work well. If the bed is poorly drained, add 2 to 3 inches of organic matter. These are large plants, so be sure to space transplants 15 to 18 inches apart.
Place landscape plants to the rear of the border in a bold group. They combine wonderfully with other flowers like petunias, phlox, salvias and vincas.
Cleomes are drought tolerant once established. In midsummer, give them a little fertilizer, like a 5-10-5.
Using flowers with differing textures creates interest and excitement in the garden, and these cleomes certainly do their part.
Til next time,
Poppy
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