Practical
Plants

Melianthus minor

Honey Flower

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Melianthus genus in the family Melianthaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
moderate
Height
2 m
Fertility
Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The root is poisonous.

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The flowers are very rich in nectar, this is collected and eaten[3].

Product or use
Nectar
Product or use
Sweetener

Environment

Range
S. Africa and India.
Habitat
Not known
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 8+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
high wind
Wind
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring in a warm greenhouse[5]. 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[K]. Cuttings of greenwood stem tips in a frame in summer[6]. Suckers in spring[6]. They can be planted out immediately or potted up and kept in a frame for their first winter.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires a well-drained moisture retentive soil in full sun or light shade[6]. Prefers a rich loamy soil[1]. Fertile soils give good foliage effects but the plant flowers better on a poor soil[6]. Closely related to M. major, but smaller in all parts[6]. A very ornamental plant it is only hardy in the milder areas of Britain[1], flowering freely in Cornwall[8]. 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[2][6]. In these areas the rootstock must be well mulched[6]. 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[4]. Plants are often used in sub-tropical bedding schemes[1]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[7].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Taylor. J. The Milder Garden. Dent 1990-00-00

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  3. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

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  4. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30936-9

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  5. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

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  6. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  7. Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8

    ↩

  8. Thurston. Trees and Shrubs in Cornwall.

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