Honey Bush - Melianthus Major
One of the most architectural sub-shrubs of recent times for UK gardens, hitherto considered too tender for our Isles. Melianthus major, the honey bush from the SW cape of South Africa is a hugely exotic, large leaved, jungly looking plant. With large pinnate leaves over 30cm long, comprising of 10-15 jagged edge leaflets coloured the most distinctive blue-grey powdery matt colour. The edges look as though they've been clipped with crimping scissors. The plant emits a peanut-buttery fragrance whenever the leaves are brushed or rubbed. The flowers are produced on long racemes in Spring & Early Summer, a strange mahogany in colour and not beautiful IMHO - sinister in appearance, more of a curiosity, but they are redolent of honey and hence the common name. Home Ground. Hardy for me! (For the record, I don't allow mine to flower, but cut back annually to a low frame each Spring.)
There is a really interesting variety called Melianthus 'Purple Haze', in which, as the name suggests, the leaves are suffused with purple hues. Available only in the US and Australia, but not (inexplicably) in the UK! thegardenist.com.au/plant-of-the-week-45-melianthus-purpl... Highly desirable I would think, and if anyone knows .. .. .. 😇
Honey Bush - Melianthus Major
One of the most architectural sub-shrubs of recent times for UK gardens, hitherto considered too tender for our Isles. Melianthus major, the honey bush from the SW cape of South Africa is a hugely exotic, large leaved, jungly looking plant. With large pinnate leaves over 30cm long, comprising of 10-15 jagged edge leaflets coloured the most distinctive blue-grey powdery matt colour. The edges look as though they've been clipped with crimping scissors. The plant emits a peanut-buttery fragrance whenever the leaves are brushed or rubbed. The flowers are produced on long racemes in Spring & Early Summer, a strange mahogany in colour and not beautiful IMHO - sinister in appearance, more of a curiosity, but they are redolent of honey and hence the common name. Home Ground. Hardy for me! (For the record, I don't allow mine to flower, but cut back annually to a low frame each Spring.)
There is a really interesting variety called Melianthus 'Purple Haze', in which, as the name suggests, the leaves are suffused with purple hues. Available only in the US and Australia, but not (inexplicably) in the UK! thegardenist.com.au/plant-of-the-week-45-melianthus-purpl... Highly desirable I would think, and if anyone knows .. .. .. 😇