Cleome Flowers

Last Updated on December 17, 2025

Cleome flowers (Spider flowers) are warm-season annuals in the Cleomaceae, famed for their airy, spidery blooms in pink, lavender, and white. They flower from midsummer to frost, attract pollinators, and self-seed readily; the common ornamental is Cleome hassleriana (syn. Tarenaya hassleriana).

Message Tone

Playful, airy, creative and uplifting

Relationship Safety

Best for casual, friendly, nature-loving relationships

Care Effort

Moderate care, needs some regular attention

Gift Lifespan

Blooms well for one warm season

Flower Language

These airy blooms say, “Stay curious, vibrant, and free-spirited, even when life feels busy or uncertain.”

Quick Flower Gift Guide

You want a lively, unusual gift for someone who loves gardening or wildlife-friendly plants.
You are celebrating a summer birthday, garden party, or outdoor housewarming.
The recipient enjoys naturalistic, slightly wild-looking flowers rather than very formal arrangements.
You wish to encourage creativity, experimentation, or a fresh start in someone’s life.
You need a cheerful, informal gift for friends, neighbours, or relaxed colleagues.

You need a compact, tidy gift for a very small or minimalist space.
The recipient is sensitive to pollen, insects, or outdoor-style, slightly wild-looking flowers.
You want a strongly traditional romantic gesture like classic roses or lilies.
The occasion calls for very formal sympathy flowers in pale, understated tones.

Meaning & Symbolism as a Gift

Cleome flowers, with their airy “spider” blooms, carry an energetic yet delicate feel, ideal for friends, creative spirits and relaxed, informal celebrations.

Lively creativity

Cleome often symbolises imagination, originality and a playful outlook, thanks to its unusual, firework-like flower heads.

Expression strength Moderate and upbeat

Etiquette safety Safe for friends, informal work contacts and casual gifting.

Best setting Great for bright living rooms, creative studios and relaxed party spaces.

Colour hint Vibrant pinks, purples and whites mixed together enhance the fun, artistic character.

Avoid Not ideal for very formal corporate events or solemn remembrance ceremonies.

Best occasions

Good for

close friend best friend colleague teacher client

Resilient optimism

Their tall, airy stems suggest persistence and light-hearted strength, making Cleome a symbol of staying positive through change.

Expression strength Gentle but encouraging

Etiquette safety Suitable for most informal support gestures and casual sympathy.

Best setting Best in a sunny corner, balcony or bedside table where the playful forms can lift the mood.

Colour hint Soft pinks, lilacs and white create a hopeful, reassuring look.

Avoid Too light-hearted for highly formal mourning arrangements or very traditional ceremonies.

Best occasions

Good for

close friend best friend parent grandparent colleague

Gift-Giving Etiquette

How to Present

Wrap stems (fine spines and sticky hairs) and include a note about the musky scent and shorter vase life. Strip lower leaves for bouquets and pair with airy companions (e.g., grasses, cosmos). For scent-sensitive settings, gift as an outdoor potted plant instead of a cut bouquet.

Ideal Delivery Time

Early morning on the day of display, during cool hours (Cleome wilts in heat and has a short vase life as cut flowers).

Card Message Ideas

Like these spider flowers, may your days spiral upward with color—congratulations!
A burst of summer energy for your new place—enjoy the Cleome!
For the bold and unique you—may your creativity keep blooming.
Wishing you resilience and joy through every season.
Thanks for hosting—these airy blooms were made for garden parties!

Things to Know Before You Gift This

Use this as a quick check if you’re gifting to a household with children or pets.

Cleome flowers are not widely reported as highly poisonous, but like many ornamentals they can cause mild stomach upset if eaten and may irritate sensitive skin.

Risk area	Level	Practical advice
Children	Mild risk if ingested	Discourage chewing on leaves or seed pods and keep out of reach of very young children.
Pets	Mild risk if ingested	Prevent pets from nibbling plants and contact a vet if large amounts are eaten or if symptoms appear.
Skin contact	Low to moderate	Most people tolerate normal handling, but wear gloves if you have sensitive skin or notice irritation.

If significant ingestion occurs or unusual symptoms develop in people or animals, seek medical or veterinary advice promptly.

Helpful if you’re choosing for someone with fragrance or pollen sensitivities.

Cleome flowers can be lightly to moderately allergenic for some people, mainly due to outdoor pollen exposure and their distinctive scent in warm weather.

Factor	Level	Suggestion
Pollen	Moderate outdoors	Plant away from frequently opened windows and avoid placing heavy-blooming pots right beside seats of hay fever sufferers.
Fragrance	Distinct, can be noticeable	If sensitive to scents, keep large groupings downwind of seating areas and avoid confined indoor spaces.
Best placement	Outdoor beds or well-ventilated patios	Use mainly outside or in breezy spots, rather than as a close bedside or desk arrangement for very sensitive individuals.

For severe respiratory allergies, it’s always best to follow the recipient’s own doctor’s advice.

Before you decide on colours, check if any combination might feel awkward for this occasion or culture.

Colour meanings for Cleome arrangements can vary by region and occasion; the table below highlights some combinations that may need extra care.

Color/Combination	Region/Culture	Common Association	Occasions to Avoid
Pure white	Many East Asian contexts	Often linked with mourning, funerals or ancestral rites.	Weddings, festive birthdays and baby celebrations.
Very dark red	Some European and Western traditions	Can feel heavy, intense or slightly ominous rather than playful.	Light-hearted children’s parties, casual thank-you gifts.
Black-accented designs	Certain conservative cultures	Black with strong colours may suggest grief or harsh formality.	Romantic first dates, cheerful hospital visits, informal friendship gifts.
Neon mixed colours	General Western business gifting	Looks youthful and fun but not very formal or serious.	Formal corporate condolences, serious professional milestones and solemn ceremonies.
All-white with pale blue accents	Some European and Latin American traditions	May be read as cool, distant or occasionally funereal.	Warm romantic gestures, intimate family celebrations where a cosy feel is desired.