Senorita Rosalita cleome mystery
I’ve been touting the delights of ‘Senorita Rosalita’ cleome since trialing two in my back garden last year. Through terrible drought and heat, those cleomes grew bushy and full and bloomed nonstop until fall. Last winter killed them off, but naturally I bought two replacements this spring when I found them at Natural Gardener.
Sadly, one began to decline right away, and I ended up pulling it out in case it was diseased. By then I couldn’t find a replacement anywhere, but Daphne Richards came to the rescue and gave me two that she didn’t have room for, both from Home Depot. I planted one next to the survivor from Natural Gardener; the other went into the afternoon-sun bed I’d just created in the front yard. Since then, both the N.G. and the H.D. ‘Senorita Rosalita’ cleome in the back garden have failed to live up to last year’s plants. They are thin, straggly, and small—not at all what I fell in love with last year.
But the H.D. plant out front? Well, just look at it. It’s as full and flowery as the two I grew last year. I don’t know how to account for it. It’s obviously not a nursery issue. It’s not a placement issue because the two poor plants are growing where last year’s plants thrived. The only variable that I can think of is the weather. Last year it was brutally hot and dry. This year it’s been hot, but we’ve had some rain.
At any rate, when ‘Senorita Rosalita’ is good, she’s very, very good, and if you bought one on my recommendation, I certainly hope she looks fluffy and flowery. Because when she is bad, she’s horrid.
If you’re growing ‘Senorita Rosalita’ cleome in the Austin area, I’d love to hear your experience with it, for comparison’s sake.
All material © 2006-2010 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Pam, I have the same issue. I have 4 total Srta Rosalitas. The one in full sun is happy, thick and gorgeous. All the remaining get only part sun, and they are straggly and unattractive. I’ll plant another next year, but only one, and in the sunniest spot! It’s a great annual when it works.
The mystery continues. The ones that thrived for me last year got only part sun—morning to a little midday sun. This year, the ones in that location are not looking so good, while the one I planted in afternoon sun is perfect. Hmm. —Pam
Pam, I bought two from HD and planted them in two different locations. One faltered and died with out ever really getting going. The other is doing just fine, exactly what you said they would be. It’s in more shade than the one that died. I will buy more next year as the survivor is a stunner.
Your experience is the opposite of Robin’s, in the comment above. Well, I am glad you both have had success with at least one plant. —Pam
Looks really cool. I tried growing Cleome this year, but the heat really did a number on the plants.
I planted 2 this year, and both are straggly. One is a replacement for the one that grew so well last year but got killed back in the winter, the other is in a new location. Both get a good 6+ hours of sun a day. I also grew a variety called Linda Armstrong last year, and it did even better than Rosalita. I couldn’t find any Linda Armstrong plants this year, though.
I plant Queen’s Mix from seed and they do just fine. Too much water makes leggy long plants with few blooms. They do benefit from being stressed, my experience.
I’ve seen it here in Michigan (as an annual) looking quite nice. Maybe it is a virus issue? Virus infections in plants often don’t show overt symptoms beyond a general loss of vigor.
Or, maybe, given the healthy one is planted in a new spot, and the two crappy ones are where you grew them last year, it is something along the lines of crop rotation — maybe some fungus or nematode or something builds up in the soil where it is growing, and you need to plant it in a fresh spot for best performance.
Or… Maybe two were root bound and one wasn’t?
And… that’s all I can think of. This should be a Friday Puzzler on the Garden Professors.
I only have one ‘senorita’ and she is planted in full sun. Despite competition from a lot of other plants she has done well. However, a regular annual cleome, which grew from seed, has become a giant. The flower heads are huge, unlike senorita’s which are quite small by comparison. I bought mine at HD and will be looking for more next year. I’m glad you introduced us to this plant.
I planted 2 senoritas also this year, purchased from HD – one failed immediately and the other is alive, but very scraggly. It is in full sun. I’m just glad to know it’s not just me.
Pam, Mine are new and in containers getting watered frequently by the house/plant sitter. They are looking so-so. I saw very large plantings all over the St Louis Zoo and they were in many different locations! Did you remove all the planting medium before planting…sometimes that accounts for problems. gail
I bought one ‘senorita’ from HD this year. I think it would like a bit more sun…it’s gets VERY little….so, it’s pretty leggy. But, it’s bloomed constantly since it got here. I took your advice, and put a support around it.
I’ll be looking for more, next year.
I’m encouraged that the deer don’t bother yours. I have lots of places with sun, outside the fence.
Maybe your post, and Robin’s comment, provide the answer? If they’re getting more water, they want more/harsher sun like your afternoon sun… but if they have less water, they’re better off being shaded from the brutal afternoon sunshine, and kept in the morning sun instead?
Mine looks awful. Thanks for letting me know that it’s not a reflection in my gardening skills!
Mine are doing fine, although a bit leggy. I took it as a comment on my soil more than anything else. They keep blooming but I keep wondering whether I should shear them to promote bushiness. Thoughts?
Pam, it might be worth pulling up one of the puny Senoritas and seeing what kind of root growth it has. If the root ball is still pot shaped, you’ll have an answer. On the other hand, if you barerooted them before planting, then I have NO idea!
I’d want to see the roots too; nematodes? It seems very odd that so many of you are finding it flaky. I wonder if there is some kind of variability in the seedling care at different nurseries?
Pam, thinking about this issue a bit more…one reader commented that she believes Rosalita does well under stressed conditions. Last year was certainly stressful for everything in Central Texas, not just the plants. Maybe Rosalita would do better with parched conditions, no matter what the sun situation is?
I’m glad you have a Senorita Rosalita that’s still doing well. Both of mine died pretty much overnight. Thankfully, everything in front of and behind it filled in, so you barely notice the gap in the front border.