The plant Cat's whiskers is an erect herbaceous annual herb, which can grow up to 1.5 m in height. It has a long tap root and stems and leaf petioles are thickly glandular. The inflorescence is quite showy and is up to 30 cm in length. Seeds measure 1.0-1.5 mm in diameter. There are reports of protandry and protogyny in the genus, Cleome, and some species other than Cleome gynandra exhibit 'super dioecy' in which flowers on the same inflorescence can be male sterile, have pistil abortion, or become complete Because of its tropical origin, Cleome is believed to be daylength-insensitive, but some Cleome species are facultative long day species.
Propagation is by seed.
Active germination starts 6 months after harvest and is believed to peak after 12 months of storage. Seeds from a previous crop are usually broadcast or drilled on well-loosened fertile soil or the plants are grown on raised or flat beds. Seeds germinate within 4-5 days. Seedlings are thinned about 3 weeks later, and the thinnings are used as a vegetable. When plants reach a height of about 15 cm, they can be harvested by uprooting whole plants, or by topping, cutting back to ground level, or picking individual leaves or leafy branches at frequent intervals.