Melianthus Major

Melianthus Major Care

Melianthus Major

Other names: Large Honey Flower

What is the plant

Melianthus are evergreen shrubs, often grown as herbaceous perennials, with handsome pinnate leaves and small, tubular flowers in narrow, erect racemes. M. major is a sparsely branched, medium-sized evergreen sub-shrub of sprawling habit, with handsome glaucous, pinnate leaves to 45cm in length. Small, tubular maroon flowers in erect racemes to 30cm in length in spring and summer.

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Humidity

Normal

Lighting

Part Sun

Temperature

12°C - 14°C

Hardiness zone

7 - 12

Difficulty

Easy

Invasive

Weed

How to Care for the Plant

Water
Keep moist and barely covered with soil, as light enhances germination. Plant outdoors after all threat of frost has passed. Plants grown from seed can be quite variable in color, with foliage ranging from green to silver to gray to blue.
Pruning
This plant can be propagated from seed or by herbaceous basal cutting in early spring or softwood cuttings taken in spring or summer. Sow seed indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost. Fresh seed germinates in 3-4 weeks.
Sunlight
Grow honeybush in full sun to part shade. It does best as an ornamental in moist, fertile soil, although will tolerate lean, dry soil. Protect the plant from excessive wind.

Disease diagnosis

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Temperature
Although it is only hardy to zone 8, it is fast-growing so can be used as seasonal ornamental in colder areas. In the wild it is a winter grower, going dormant in the summer, but will grow well in the relatively cool summers of the Midwest.
Additional
The foliage is toxic if ingested
Popularity
86 people already have this plant 29 people have added this plant to their wishlists