It’s true that spider flowers (*Cleome*) do have some toxic components. The main culprits are the seeds, which contain mustard oil glycosides and substances similar to alkaloids. Since these seeds don’t usually develop until the very end of the gardening season, the actual risk they pose in your garden is pretty low.
What should you do if someone eats them?
Now, you probably aren’t planning on snacking on your flower beds, but we all know kids can be a bit more adventurous (and less cautious). If someone does ingest the seeds, it can lead to some nasty stomach and digestive issues. Here’s how to handle it:
- Give activated charcoal tablets.
- In severe cases, a trip to the ER for a stomach pump might be necessary.
A great pro-tip to keep things safe? Just deadhead your spider flowers! If you remove the wilted blooms right away, the plant won’t have a chance to produce seeds in the first place.
A heads-up for those with sensitive skin
For some gardeners, just touching a spider flower can trigger an allergic skin reaction or a bit of a rash. If that happens to you, applying a little cortisone cream should help clear things up. To be safe, you might want to keep your gardening gloves on when pruning these beauties!
