Bloom Day: A Rare Perennial Shrub, Melianthus comosus

Melianthus comosus

Planted in the early days of my California garden, tufted honey-flower, a South African shrub, boasts deeply dissected, green foliage:  The plant's intense peanut-butter aroma is not particularly pleasant.

Blooming in late-winter, tufted honey-flower produces some of the most unusual flowers in my garden. The flower spikes are eye-catching, with their bladder-like capsules, while the red-orange flowers are said to be pollinated by birds.  

Perhaps they are in a native African habitat, but I've not witnessed birds visiting these blooms.

Prominent stamens, a deeply elongated throat with dark honey guide, and delicate, reflexed sepals are features sure to attract those of us who are botanically inclined. Touch the flowers, and a residue of watery nectar - black, inky droplets - is deposited on your fingertips. Not refined plant material for flower arrangements.

In my Zone 10 micro-climate, the growth habit is tall and gangly, so I cut the plant back a couple times a year, and always remove a few of the thickest stems; cutting them close to the ground.

Gledhill (The Names of Plants) defines the species nomenclature as 'shaggy-tufted' , which I find a lively description of these oddly attractive blooms.