Common Name: Honey Flower

General Information

Melianthus major is an evergreen shrub that can grow up to 3 metres tall.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. It is grown as an ornamental,

Known Hazards

The leaves of this species are used in traditional medicine. However the plant is almost universally recognised by traditional practitioners as being toxic and is only used for external application[, ]
The root is poisonous[].

Botanical References

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Range

S. Africa - southwestern Cape

Habitat

Damp sandy areas[]. Grows alongside streams and roadside ditches[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	1.50 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

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[].

Edible Uses

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[].

Medicinal

A warm aqueous leaf infusion may be applied topically as a lotion to sores, ulcers, bruises or wounds that are slow to heal, including venereal sores; similar infusions may be used as a gargle or mouthwash for treating oral ulcers, disease of the gums or sore throat[, ]. Poultices and decoctions of the leaves are applied directly to backache and rheumatic joints[]. Ringworm of the scalp is said to have been successfully treated with this herb - a leaf paste may be applied as a local dressing to the affected area[].
A leaf infusion or paste is applied to the affected area as a lotion or dressing; a leaf decoction is used as a mouthwash or gargle and the leaves may be placed in the bath as a hot soak[].
The leaves are often used in combination with Lobostemon fruticosus and Galenia africana in traditional practice[].

The root is poisonous and emetic, but is used as a remedy against snake bites[]

Antimicrobial activity of aqueous leaf extracts have been observed against Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus and Mycobacterium smegmatis, in the concentrations used for disc assays in laboratories. No activity was demonstrated against Pseudomonas aeruginosa[].

Other Uses

A violet dye is obtained from the flowers[].

Propagation

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.