-Drunken Butterfly Flower-
Cleome spinosa Jacq.
The white cauliflower family | the genus Drunken Butterfly
An annual herb
Drunken butterfly flower is also known as butterfly grass, purple dragon whiskers, Western white cauliflower, its flower language is: mysterious.
The buds on the inflorescence of the drunken butterfly flower open from the inside out, and the flower color changes spontaneously, first pale white to reddish, then light red to lilac, and finally pinkish white, which is very charming.
When its flowers open, the petals slowly open, and the long claws bend to pop out of the flowers, the process is like a slow motion movie.
Its petals are light and flowing, and when they bloom, they flutter like butterflies.
Petals with "claws", long stamens protruding in the middle, swaying in the wind. Therefore, peoples of all countries like to call it by very vivid names.
In English-speaking countries, people call it "spider flower", while the Japanese name it "stern butterfly flower", and Chinese give it a poetic name - "drunken butterfly flower".
Morphological characteristics
Stem: The flower stem is erect, and the stem has sticky fine hairs that emit a strong special smell
Leaves: The leaves are palmate compound leaves, with 5 to 7 leaflets, which are rectangular lanceolate
Flowers: Flowering period from June to September, the flower stem is long and strong, the inflorescence is apical, the flower opens from the bottom to the upper order, the petal lanceolates are rolled outward, the flower buds are red, and the petals are rose red or white
Fruit: The capsule is cylindrical in shape and the seeds are light brown
Growth habits
Drunken butterfly flowers are very adaptable. Likes high temperatures and can withstand extreme heat. Prefers sunshine and semi-shade, prefers humidity, and is slightly drought tolerant.
Garden use
Flower beds and flower fields can be arranged in summer and autumn, and dwarf cultivation can also be carried out as a potted ornament. In garden applications, according to its characteristics of being able to withstand semi-shade, it can be planted under the forest or on the shady side of the building.
Drunken butterfly flowers have good resistance to sulfur dioxide and chlorine gas, and are very good anti-pollution flowers, and can also grow well in heavily polluted factories and mines.
Cultivation and maintenance
Water: Drought tolerant, but better growth given to larger air humidity, watered daily in the middle of summer, and watered thoroughly.
Fertilizer: Apply thin fertilizer once during initial colonization. Controlled fertilization in the middle of growth to keep the plant in a moderate and beautiful shape.
Soil: The soil requirements are not harsh, it is best to have a well-drained sandy soil containing humus. However, it will grow poorly in clay or alkaline soils.
Warm: Prefers warmth, is resistant to heat, and is not hardy. In summer, the growth period is the season, and the plant dies in case of frost.
Light: Prefers sunlight and is slightly resistant to semi-shade.
Propagation methods
1. Sowing and propagation:
Germination: Soak the seeds in warm water for 3 to 10 hours until the seeds absorb water and swell.
Sowing: For small seeds that are difficult to pinch by hand or other tools, you can use one end of the toothpick
Wet the water, stick the seeds to the surface of the substrate soil one by one, and then cover the soil 1 cm thick, and then put the sown pot (pot with hole) into the water, the depth of the water is 1/2 to 2/3 of the height of the pot, let the water slowly soak up, see the pot topsoil wet (this method is called "pot immersion method", meat can also be watered by this method).
2. Propagation of cuttings:
Cutting substrate: it is the nutrient soil or river sand, peat soil and other materials used for cuttings. Use a cutting matrix that has been prepared and detoxified;
Choose cuttings: The branches used for cuttings are called cuttings. Usually combined with the topping work, the thick, disease-free top tip is used as a cutting, and the top tip is directly used to cut the cutting.