Tarenaya hassleriana (spider flower, "Seiyofuchoso")

Japanese name: セイヨウフウチョウソウ （西洋風蝶草）
Scientific name: Tarenaya hassleriana

[Overview]
An annual 40–150 cm tall.
The whole plant is covered with sticky hairs.
The stem is erect.
The leaves are spirally alternate and palmately compound, consisting of 5–7 leaflets.
The leaflets are elliptic, about 12 cm long and 4 cm wide, and entire.
The petioles are about 15 cm long.
The stipules at the base of the petiole are modified into spines.
Racemes at the stem tips bear 4-petaled flowers with long stalks, which open in order from the bottom.
The flowers are white, pink or reddish purple, and the stamens are long and protrude out of the flower.
Each flower lasts about 2 days, but they bloom one after another.
The fruit is a slender capsule about 15 cm long and 0.3 cm wide.

[History]
It was introduced to Japan in the early Meiji period.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed.
It also spreads readily from self-sown seed.
It dislikes transplanting, so sow directly with about 30 cm between plants and thin out, or sow in plastic pots and transplant.
It prefers a sunny, well-drained location.
Cultivation is easy.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
Apply basal fertilizer, and also place slow-release fertilizer on the soil once a month.
When the plant grows tall, set up stakes.
There are no particular pests or diseases.

View this page in Japanese (日本語)