Cleome - A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Cleomes are part of a large family of robust annuals and shrubs which are indigenous to tropical and subtropical areas worldwide. Only a few of the annuals are commonly cultivated. It is believed that the plant from which Cleome Rose Queen was developed came originally from the West Indies and was introduced into the United States in 1817. The Latin name of this plant was Capparidaceae Hassleriana. The plant gained almost immediate popularity because of the extraordinary blossoms it produced on top of the nearly 4-5 foot stems. They were a curiosity and they definitely looked curious. In his 1851 book, The Flower Garden, Joseph Breck wrote, "This is an elegant tribe of plants and very curious in their
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