Pocket Botanist
Check these first
- Assess how many hours of direct sun the plant receives.
- Check if the plant is being shaded by nearby structures or larger plants.
- Review your recent fertilizing habits.
Likely causes
Insufficient Light
Most likelyHow to tell: The stems look thin and elongated with large gaps between the leaves. The plant leans heavily toward the nearest light source.
What to do: Move the container to a spot that receives full sun for at least 6 to 8 hours a day. If growing indoors, place it directly in a south facing window.
Excess Nitrogen
PossibleHow to tell: This is less common for this plant, as cleome usually needs moderate nutrients, but too much nitrogen fertilizer causes rapid, weak growth.
What to do: Stop using high nitrogen fertilizers immediately. Switch to a balanced, slow release fertilizer applied once at the start of the season.
Find out what's wrong with your spider flower
The list above covers the usual causes. Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your actual plant and tells you the likely cause, how serious it is, and what to try first. Identification and a health check are free.
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When to worry
Leggy growth is mostly an aesthetic issue, but it can make the plant prone to falling over. It is normal for cleome to grow tall, but it should remain sturdy.
Stopping it coming back
Ensure the plant has full sun exposure from the start and pinch back the tips of young stems to encourage bushier growth.
Keep your spider flower healthy from here
Save your plant in Pocket Botanist and you get care reminders timed for this plant, plus a care history that shows what worked. Identification and a health check are free.
Questions people ask
- Can I fix leggy stems?
- You can pinch back the top of the stem to encourage side branching. This will make the plant look fuller over time.
- Do I need to stake my cleome?
- If your plant is leggy and tall, it might need a stake for support. Proper light will prevent this need in the future.
More problems with Spider flower
- Why are there bugs on my spider flower?
- Why does my spider flower have white spots on its leaves?
- Why is my cleome drooping?
- Why is my spider flower not blooming?
- Why are my cleome's leaves turning yellow?
- Why are my Cleome's leaf tips turning brown?
- Why is my Cleome losing its leaves?
- How do I fix root rot on my Cleome?
- Why are my cleome leaves curling?
Back to the Spider flower guide
This article was generated with AI from the plant’s care profile and is general information, not horticultural advice. Read about how we build these guides.