Cleome is one of those genera that instantly earns its “spider flower” nickname. Most species carry airy, open blooms with whiskery, extended stamens that splay out like delicate legs, giving each flower a lively, almost firework-like look. The genus sits in the family Cleomaceae (once grouped with capers but now recognised as closer to mustards) and includes roughly 170 species of herbs and shrubs spread across warm regions of Africa, Asia, and the Americas.

In southern Africa, Cleome is a classic summer-rainfall wildflower group: many species pop up after good rains on disturbed ground, sandy flats, rocky grassland, or savanna edges. Their quick growing habit, long flowering season, and strong nectar/pollen production make them brilliant “ecosystem helpers,” pulling in bees, butterflies, and other pollinators when the veld is alive. Several species are also used traditionally as leafy vegetables or medicinal plants elsewhere in Africa, while others have become beloved ornamentals worldwide.

For gardeners, Cleome offers a mix of indigenous charm and cottage-garden drama: tall spires, palmate leaves, and flowers ranging from soft lilac and magenta to bright yellow. Whether you’re building a water-wise indigenous meadow, boosting pollinators in a food garden, or simply wanting that airy “wild elegance” in a sunny bed, spider flowers are generous, tough companions.

Cleome bororensis

If you love indigenous summer wildflowers that feel effortless but still look special, Cleome bororensis is a gem. It’s a true South African spider flower with that light, open bloom structure that gives indigenous beds a natural, meadowy softness. This species is especially lovely in pollinator gardens and “rewilded” corners where you want plants that look at home rather than planted in rows.

Botanically, C. bororensis is an indigenous herbaceous annual within Cleomaceae, naturally occurring from Mozambique southwards into KwaZulu-Natal. It thrives in warm, summer-rainfall climates and is typically found on open ground, sandy soils, and lightly disturbed places where it can complete its quick life cycle after rains.

Like many Cleome, it produces slender stems with palmate leaves and airy, spidery flowers followed by long seed pods. Detailed flower colour varies by population, but it generally sits in the soft pink-to-lilac spider-flower palette typical of the genus. Expect flowering through the warmer months, often peaking mid- to late summer, with plants setting plenty of seed for next season if left undisturbed.

Cleome bororensis — sowing notes (Mozambique to KZN annual)

This species is a warm-season subtropical annual from Mozambique down into KwaZulu-Natal, so treat it like a summer-rainfall veld flower.

In SA, sow outdoors from late September through November in frost-free or low-frost areas; inland/highveld gardeners should wait until soil is properly warm.

Because many African Cleomes germinate best with a little darkness, press seed onto the surface and cover very lightly (about 1–2 mm sand/seedling mix).

Keep evenly moist; expect germination in roughly 1–3 weeks in warm weather.

Coastal KZN and Lowveld gardens can direct sow after spring rains. In cooler inland sites, start in trays in a warm spot and transplant once nights stay above ~12–15°C. It prefers open sun and sandy to loamy, well-drained soil.