Spirit^® Appleblossom Spider Flower

Cleome hassleriana

Spirit Cleome are great for adding height to the garden, especially in larger garden beds. The plants are easy to care for and do not need deadheading. They will have a tendency to shed lower leaves as the season progresses, plant something with a bit of height in front of them to hide their "bare knees" and the bed will look great all summer.

May self seed, remove unwanted seedlings as they appear.

For gardeners in the Deep South we have had reports of Seorita Rosalita being attacked by a stem borer. We, with the help of the University of Florida and a great local nurseryman, finally got a pest ID and some information for those of you in impacted areas. The pest is Cabbage Budworm (Hellula phidilealis) and is a member of the moth family. Symptoms of infestation include wilting and death of the tip of each stem, the caterpillar bored into the stem as it develops and spends it's like in the stem until thatching and flying off to infect other plants. You can control the problem with DiPel which is a natural bacterium that the worm ingests and then the bacterium eats the worm. Totally harmless to pets and humans, it can be applied as a dust to your plants on a monthly basis and should persist to prevent future problems. This insect also feeds on all cabbage related crops, like Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cauliflower, Chinese broccoli, Chinese mustard, and leafy plants such as bok choy, mizuna, and Collard greens. To our knowledge this pest only occurs in South Florida (Tampa and farther south), but the control of the problem is the same for all areas of the US.

An application of fertilizer or compost on garden beds and regular fertilization of plants in pots will help ensure the best possible performance.