Yellow Spiderflower, Jones spiderflower

Cleome lutea

Physical Characteristics

Cleome lutea is a ANNUAL growing to 1.2 m (4ft). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4 and is frost tender. It is in flower from July to August. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

Distribution

Western N. America - Nebraska to Washington and Arizona.

Habitats

Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves Seed Shoots Edible Uses: Edible leaves, flowers, and seeds, but the flavor is intense and often unpleasant. Best boiled with water discarded, then used sparingly or dried for storage [2-3]. Edible Uses & Rating Leaves, flowers, and seeds are considered edible, but the rating is constrained by palatability. As a food plant it is best treated as a “famine-to-functional” resource: usable, sometimes valuable, but rarely desirable as a main ingredient. Its strongest practical role is as a bulk green that can be boiled, drained, and dried for later use, especially when whole plants can be harvested efficiently [2-3]. Taste, Processing & Kitchen Notes: Fresh yellow beeplant is intensely pungent and spicy in both aroma and taste. The raw flavor is often strong enough to overwhelm milder ingredients, and even boiling only reduces intensity rather than transforming it into something gentle. After boiling, it can still read as sharp and “vegetal-spicy,” with a persistent, somewhat rancid-green note that some people find hard to tolerate. The best kitchen approach is to boil it thoroughly, discard the water, and then use small amounts mixed into soups or stews where other strong flavors can share the load. Drying boiled greens creates a storable product, but drying should be done with good ventilation because the plant’s odor can linger. Seasonality (Phenology): Yellow beeplant can appear and remain productive for a long season in response to rainfall, commonly blooming from spring into autumn. Tender greens are most practical earlier in growth, before plants become coarse and before pods are fully developed. Seeds mature later, after the long flowering period, and may be available across much of the warm season depending on the timing of moisture [2-3]. Safety & Cautions (Food Use): While the plant is considered edible, it is strongly flavored and can be hard on the stomach for some people when eaten in large quantities. Because it often grows in disturbed areas, site hygiene matters: avoid roadside spray zones, contaminated washes, and places with heavy livestock or pet impacts. Cooking and discarding the water is the most conservative approach for greens. Harvest & Processing Workflow: Harvest young leafy tops or whole tender plants before they become coarse. Boil thoroughly, then discard the water to reduce intensity, and either eat in small mixed portions or dry the cooked greens for later use. If collecting seeds, allow pods to mature and dry, then gather and thresh; expect the seeds to carry less pungency than the greens but still to be challenging in flavor [2-3]. Cultivar/Selection Notes: Varietal distinctions are sometimes made based on size traits, but for foraging and basic use, these distinctions matter less than growth stage and habitat cleanliness. Look-Alikes & Confusion Risks: Within the Southwest, beeplants are fairly distinctive: palmately compound leaves, four-petaled flowers with prominent stamens, and long, slender pods. Other Cleome/Peritoma species occur regionally, but confusion is usually not dangerous. The more practical “confusion risk” is assuming the pods will behave like green beans; they generally do not. Traditional / Indigenous Use Summary: Beeplants were known and used in the Southwest, with processing methods that emphasize boiling and drying to create storable foods. Their role is best understood as a reliable seasonal resource that can be preserved, rather than a prized fresh vegetable. Young shoots - cooked[85]. Seed - ground into a meal and used as a flour[85].

Medicinal Uses

Stings The plant has been used to treat ant bites[257].

Known Hazards

While the plant is regarded as edible, it is strongly flavored and can be hard on the stomach for some people if eaten in quantity. Because it often grows in disturbed areas, site hygiene matters: avoid roadside spray zones, contaminated washes, and places with heavy livestock or pet impacts. Cooking and discarding the water is the most conservative approach for greens.