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Melianthus major

Melianthus major
Giant Honey Flower

4,1/5
17 reviews
2 reviews
0 reviews
3 reviews
3 reviews

I received it in good condition, just a tiny branch broken but nothing serious. It's superb, I got it in a 4L pot, it's very tall with 2 branches still in leaf and very tall, about 65-67cm excluding the pot (instead of 40cm as mentioned on the website). I recommend it ????

Vianney , 06/09/2024

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This plant carries a 12 months recovery warranty

More information

This extraordinary plant with an architectural habit gives an exotic look to the garden. This undershrub can form an imposing mass resembling a giant fern, composed of large evergreen and bristly green-blue leaves, cut into wide dentate leaflets. It exhibits brown-red inflorescences in late spring, with a honey-scented fragrance, highly attractive to bees, and remarkably nectar-rich. It loves the sun, tolerates summer drought, and becomes quite hardy once well-established.
Flower size
15 cm
Height at maturity
2 m
Spread at maturity
2 m
Exposure
Sun
Hardiness
Hardy down to -9°C
Soil moisture
Dry soil, Moist soil
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Best planting time March, September
Recommended planting time February to April, September to November
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Flowering time May to July
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Description

Melianthus major, also known as the giant honey flower, is an extraordinary plant with a remarkable architectural habit. It brings an exotic touch to the garden. This undershrub can form an imposing mass resembling a giant fern, composed of large evergreen, blue-green, serrated leaves divided into wide toothed leaflets. It displays brown-red spike-like inflorescences in late spring, which are nectar-rich with a honey fragrance. The flowers are incredibly popular with bees. This plant loves the sun, tolerates summer drought well, and becomes quite hardy once established.

 

Melianthus major belongs to the Francoaceae family native to South Africa. It is a large but not very hardy perennial that forms highly ornamental specimens in the garden. It quickly becomes a 2m (7ft) tall bush with a spreading habit. Its silver-grey juvenile foliage unfolds into lush, blue-green "fronds" divided into serrated leaflets. They emit a fragrance of peanut butter or cocoa when crushed, spreading into the surrounding area on hot days. From May to July, large inflorescences covered with tubular flowers appear, blooming in terminal spikes. They are brown-red and are highly attractive to bees and nectar-loving insects. If the plant appears wet or sticky at times, it is due to the nectar flowing from its flowers, which has a honey-like scent. The flowering is followed by the formation of parchment-like pods containing seeds.

 

Melianthus major is perfect for creating magnificent exotic backgrounds in flower beds, or even in large pots on a terrace. It deserves to be highlighted, and provides a dazzling spectacle on its own. It can be paired with grey or silver foliage plants by planting a carpet of Senecio vira-vira at its base, or with blue or mauve Ceratostigma plumbaginoides or C. griffithi for their blooms. Its fast growth compensates for its low hardiness (mature specimens are destroyed at -8°C (17.6°F)). This plant will easily find its place in warm, dry, or coastal gardens.

Melianthus major in pictures

Melianthus major (Flowering) Flowering
Melianthus major (Foliage) Foliage
Melianthus major (Plant habit) Plant habit

Flowering

Flower colour red
Flowering time May to July
Inflorescence Spike
Flower size 15 cm
Fragrance slightly scented, honey scent
Bee-friendly Attracts pollinators

Foliage

Foliage persistence Semi-evergreen
Foliage colour green
Foliage description Persistant sous climat doux, disparaît l'hiver sinon.

Plant habit

Height at maturity 2 m
Spread at maturity 2 m
Growth rate normal

Botanical data

Genus

Melianthus

Species

major

Family

Melianthaceae

Other common names

Giant Honey Flower

Origin

South Africa

Product reference813261

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Planting and care

Plant in light, well-drained, deep, loose, and sunny soil. It tolerates limestone and summer drought. It cannot withstand wind that damages its foliage. To help it survive the winter, it should be planted in well-drained soil and its stump should be covered with a handful of dead leaves, or straw, which can be held in place by an inverted bucket weighted down. Once mature, it is capable of regrowing from its stump in spring even if the vegetation has been destroyed by frost. In cold regions, it can be cultivated in a large container that can be wintered indoors, away from frost, in a bright and unheated space.

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Planting period

Best planting time March, September
Recommended planting time February to April, September to November

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow
Type of use Back of border, Free-standing, Container, Slope
Hardiness Hardy down to -9°C (USDA zone 8b) Show map
Ease of cultivation Amateur
Planting density 1 per m2
Exposure Sun
Soil pH Calcareous
Soil type Silty-loamy (rich and light)
Soil moisture Dry soil, Moist soil, well-draining, flexible, deep

Care

Pruning instructions Remove damaged foliage at the end of winter and faded inflorescences at the end of the season.
Pruning Pruning recommended once a year
Pruning time March to April, August to September
Disease resistance Very good
Overwinter Needs protection
4,1/5

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