Purple cleome, Maman
Cleome rutidosperma
A short creeping plant with diamond-shaped leaflets in groups of three. Its flowers have four, slender purple petals that curve upwards. It produces long green pods filled with seeds. This plant is usually found in shadier areas and it is good for attracting bees and small butterflies to gardens.
Status: Least concern, Introduced (Tropical Africa)
Habit: Annual herbaceous
Cultivation: Planted by seeds or transplanting
Ecological Function: Attracts pollinators, ground cover, produces seeds for birds, butterfly host plant (Appias libythea, Leptosia nina)
Pollinators: Large and small bees, wasps and flies
Soil: Loam, clay, organic soils
Moisture: Well drained soils
Shade: Partial shade, no shade
