Grown as a perennial or an annual, the large leaves of this tropical plant surely catch the eye.
Go tropical in a big way with honey bush.
The leaves have a smell that resembles peanut butter or hazelnuts when crushed.
Honey bush is most valued for its foliage.
In warm climates,it is grown as a perennial.
When grown as an annual, it remains much shorter but the leaves are still large.
Honey bush is toxic to humans and pets.
Where to Plant Honey Bush
Select a location in full sun or partial shade.
The soil quality and pH are secondary but the soil should have excellent drainage.
Plant honey bush as a focal point in the back of a bed or a border.
The sculptural foliage grows all the way to the ground so there is no need for underplanting it.
Dig a hole at least twice the size of the nursery pot and just as deep.
Space the shrubs 9 feet apart.
Honey Bush Care Tips
Honey bush requires only minimal maintenance.
Light
Honey bush prospers infull sun.
It is equally adaptable in terms of soil pH and grows in acid, neutral, or alkaline soil.
Good drainage, however, is important.
Soils that remain excessively wet during the winter are not suitable.
Until the plant is established, it needs frequent watering.
After that, it is drought-tolerant yet benefits from extra moisture.
The plant does not have any particular humidity requirements.
If you would like to contain its growth, skip the fertilizer.
Poor soil is also more conducive to bloom.
Alternatively, spread a 2-inch layer of compost around the base in the spring.
Pruning
With its sprawling, suckering growth habit, honey bush tends to look unruly.
Fortunately, it takes well to hard pruning.
In the spring, cut all the stems back to a height of 3 inches above ground level.
New stems and foliage will soon emerge.
Remember that container-grown plants need more frequent watering than plants in the landscape.
Pests and Problems
The most common pests on honey bush are aphids andwhiteflies.
Washing the foliage with a hose helps with removal but may have to be repeated.
The powdery-blue, deeply lobed 18-inch leaves have pink edges and arch gracefully like ostrich feathers.
The flowers are silvery-pink.
Zone 7-11
Purple Haze
The silver-blue foliage of this cultivar is finer than the species.
As the leaves with white undersides unfurl, they show a purple tint.
The red flowers sit atop burgundy-red stems.
The growth habit is more spreading than the species and tends to fill out right to the ground.
Mostsedumsgrow over a wide zone range.
Because upright sedums tend to form tight clumps of foliage and dont spread, plant it in small groups.
Choose a variety with purple or burgundy leaves such as the popular Palace Purple cultivar.
These perennials are extremely easy to grow as long as they aren’t kept too wet.
ensure there is good drainage.
Just like the honey bush, coral bells don’t like sitting in water.
Zone 3-9
Coleus
A fast, vigorously growing annual plant around honey bush is coleus.
Frequently Asked Questions
Honey bush is native to the southwestern Cape in South Africa.
It has been introduced as an ornamental plant around the world.
Honey bush has become invasive in certain places, such as New Zealand but not in North America.
Updated by Nadia Hassani
Honey Bush.
