Honey Flower
Melianthus major
Family: Melianthaceae
What it is like
Melianthus major is an evergreen Shrub growing to 3 m (9ft) by 3 m (9ft) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 8. It is in leaf all year, in flower from July to August. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.
Height (m): 3
Where it is found
Damp sandy areas.
S. Africa and India.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Australia, East Africa, France, South Africa*, Southern Africa, Tasmania, Zambia,
How it is used
Food
Rating: 3
The honey-like nectar from the flowers is eaten. Deliciously sweet, a tiny bit seems to go a long way - which is very useful since the plant does not produce that much in the British climate.
Nectar: produced in such abundance by some flowers that it can be harvested fairly easily.
Sweetener: includes sugar substitutes.
Medicine
Rating: 1
Vulnerary. The root is poisonous and emetic, but is used as a remedy against snake bites.
Antidote: Counters poisoning.
Emetic: Induces vomiting.
Vulnerary: Promotes the healing of wounds.
Other
Rating: 1
A violet dye is obtained from the flowers.
Dye: Plants that provide dyes.
Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent
How it is grown
Requires a well-drained moisture retentive soil in full sun or light shade. Prefers a rich loamy soil. Fertile soils give good foliage effects but the plant flowers better on a poor soil. A very ornamental plant it is only hardy in the milder areas of Britain, flowering freely in Cornwall. In colder parts of the country it can be grown as a herbaceous perennial, dying down in winter but regrowing from the base in the spring. In these areas the rootstock must be well mulched. The top growth is possibly hardy for short periods down to -10°c, whilst the rootstock is possibly hardy to -15°c if it is well mulched. The flowers have a honey-like scent. The bruised leaves have a strong aroma somewhat like peanut butter. Plants are often used in sub-tropical bedding schemes. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer.
Propagating it: Seed - sow spring in a warm greenhouse. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. Grow on the seedlings for at least their first winter in a greenhouse and plant out in late spring or early summer after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of greenwood stem tips in a frame in summer. Suckers in spring. They can be planted out immediately or potted up and kept in a frame for their first winter.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Cultivated Beds; South Wall. By. West Wall. By.
Habit: Shrub
Hardiness: 7-10
Growth: Medium
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
The root is poisonous.