"Mark Anderson" wrote in message
.net...
I have a two basic requirements when it comes to what gets planted in the
very limited space that makes up my garden. The number one requirement
is size. The plant has to be able to grow 3 feet or higher. My second
requirement is toughness. The plant has to be able to negotiate the
jungle and survive on its own. No pansies, petunias, or any of those
kind of plants ever gets planted in my garden because they're too boring.
IMHO, they're like the little yap yap dog that looks cute but can't do
anything useful but eat and poop. I want plants that get big so all
summer I can sit back and referee the war that ensues as they all vie for
territory.

Anyway, this spring I went for the first time to this one nursery here in
Chicago around Rogers Park and they had a huge selection of different
plants. I stumbled upon Cleome and the tag said it grew to 4' so I
bought a six pack of seedlings and in the pots they went. So far these
plants have gotten huge and each one has 3 or 4 different flower clusters
and they keep getting bigger and bigger and there are plenty of growing
months left this year. So, for me, I award my plant of the year to
Cleome. It has practically taken over my garden although no plant can
beat the towering sunflowers. Here's a pic of my Cleome:

http://www.brandylion.com/gallery/Garden2005/120_2023


well you seem to have the white ones. There are deep rose colored ones,
bright pink, and pinkish purple and a darker purple one as well. You can
always get seeds for cheap in the spring. They're known by the common names
of Spider flowers (the threads that hold the seed pods) and as "Cat's
Whiskers". You will have them from now on popping up in every container and
place where the seeds have fallen. They are so small they sun germinate and
usually show themselves around the end of April here in Eastern Tennessee.

No, they're not related to Cannabis. Cannabis doesn't have THORNS! Cleome
do. Cleome SPINOSA, told the local cops who came up our driveway one night
after a speeder who wound up in our driveway (dead end road) when he was
eyeballing the four foot plants to go ahead and grab one and yank it up. As
he wrapped his beefy hands around the central stalk, he let go of it and
hollered good. Those little spines bite pretty well.....he then remarked
that "marijuana ain't got spines!" I just smiled and said, yer right
officer, those are my flowers............they just LOOK like pot!
BTW: The leaves on this plant actually look like cannabis leaves so I
wonder if the two plant are related.

Cannabis is Cannabis Sativa or Cannabis Indica, Cleome are Cleome Spinosa as
far as I know......period (I'll look up the name tomorrow)


Does anyone know of other annual or perennial flowers that get this big?

Castor Bean plants. With the right soil, and start the seeds early enough,
can get to 15 foot. Some Canna's (mine and others) have them grow 12 foot.
I have Joe Pye that is past the gutters by August. Helianthus gets around 8
foot. Kuggle Sonne Helopsis is gutter high........Jeruselum sunflowers are
usually 10 foot. Then there's Iron Weed. It gets around 9 foot. Swamp
sunflower is about 8 foot. Zebra Grass averages about 7 foot once
established. And I've seen Pampas grass as high as 11 foot (Alabama where
it's wild)

There are plenty of tall plants. I think that you wouldn't have a problem
finding them if you like them large. (my Blue Egnima is a pigmy at 6 foot!
compared to the other tall plants I have.Oh yeah, some asters get about 5
foot or so........give me time and I'll have a better list for you........

madgardener up on the ridge, back in Fairy Holler overlooking English
Mountain in Eastern Tennessee, zone 7, Sunset zone 36 (by the way, canna's
in Chicago won't winter over, unless you see some planted in yards that have
survived your winters)