Melianthus major - 2011

Love the way this cascades over, does it have a flower?

Wow!!...Looks wonderful without the flowers....Love the colour of the foliage....:>)

Andrew your Melianthus always looks so much better than ours, is it in full sun, and did it die right back last winter? and do you mulch it......

6d - it does have a flower if you can get the top growth through a winter. Having said that, to my mind the flower is not really worth having and detracts from the foliage.

DD - how old is your plant? Mine is 11 years old now. It is planted on the north side of some trellis so it gets quite a lot of sun but a little bit of shelter in the winter. The soil is quite heavy, not really what you think it would appreciate. The top growth always gets cut back (even if it doesn't, it looks so tatty by early spring I cut it down anyway). I also mulch with straw or fern fronds before the first frost, uncovering it as the first new shoots come through in the spring.

Thank you Andrew I love the foliage too :o))

Ours is roughly 6 years old, on light sandy soil, it was cut down to the ground last winter, it did have a light mulch, might just move it to a more sheltered position.

Im back for another look Andrew....I have sent for one today....:>)

I am so jealous Andrew! I have tried growing this in my garden and always lose them in the winter. One of my favourite plants.On seeing yours I will try again next spring.

Richard - I think this is one that gets hardier the older it gets

I haven't dared try one, Andrew. Louise has one and it looks amazing, but even in her sheltered area it died back to the ground last winter. It's a very attractive plant.

Spritz - mine gets cut back each year as well; this is all growth it has made since spring

Ho hum - no space! lol.