NONE AVAILABLE FOR 2009
This Hard to find plant can be a great asset to any garden, robust, but delicate looking plant with a wonderful scent of honey toffee from the foliage.
Melianthus major – Melianthaceae - ‘Giant Honeyflower,' 'Honey Flower,' 'Kruidjie-roer-my-nie,' 'Honeybush, honey brush.' – Native to the Cape in South Africa, this is a wonderful foliage plant with unique flowers for those who like unusual and rare plants.
Serrated and feathered foliage with shades of bluely green, and purple embellish this imposing shrub which rises to 4' to 10' in height.
The tall spikes of deep red-maroon flowers which ooze large quantities of dark brown honey-like nectar. will attract butterflies and nice creatures.
The individual flowers open upright, but rotate upside-down over the course of about two days, spilling the nectar onto the leaves. Enhancing the scent. The leaves produce a strong smell which exudes when bruised or crushed, a characteristic which is referred to by the Afrikaans name which means 'Herb-Touch-Me-Not.'
These leaves are believed to be widely used externally to treat wounds, such as sore muscles, and bruises.
In the garden it prefers a well-drained and sunny site, and happily endures summer drought and temperature drops down to 5-c and lower. It can benefit from being chopped down to the ground every few years to rejuvenate the bush. If you have a cold snap, the frost may do the job for you.
Gentle and subtle in the garden. Great plant to fill a corner. An architectural plant with deeply cut, glaucous blue-grey foliage and brownish crimson to deep brick red flowers. May die down in most winters but shoots again.
Height 2-3m. Spread 1-3m.
Flower colour Crimson, Red.
Flowers from May to July.
Semi Evergreen.
Foliage colour Green blue.
Planting instructions Back-fill with soil mixed with peat and a suitable fertilizer.
Gives a fantastic display of colour in the garden.
