MELIANTHUS major

Melianthus major is a dramatic, architectural evergreen with large, serrated, glaucous blue-green leaves and, in warm summers, tall racemes of dark reddish-brown flowers from late spring to midsummer. For Irish gardens, plant in a very sunny, well-sheltered spot with fertile, well-drained soil. In mild areas it often keeps its foliage; in colder districts it may be cut back by frost but will usually reshoot strongly from the base in spring. Mulch in winter and remove any frost-damaged growth in spring. Foliage has a distinctive scent when bruised; superb as a bold focal plant in exotic or structural plantings.

To help give a clear sense of scale, the stone wall shown in our photos measures approximately 265cm in height. We also use familiar garden tools as visual references: a digging fork (110cm tall) and a hand fork (30cm tall). These are included purely as size guides to help you better judge proportions when viewing the images.

Position: Full sun; warm, sheltered site

Rate of Growth: Fast

Soil: Fertile, well-drained soil

Hardiness: Borderline hardy (RHS H3) – protect from frost; may reshoot from the base after cold winters

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Plant at a Glance