Mountain Honeybush Plant Care

Mountain Honeybush (Cyclopia alpina) belongs to the Fabaceae family within the Cyclopia genus. Mountain Honeybush is native to the Western Cape and occurs in the Hottentots Holland Mountains, Hex River Mountains and the Wemmershoek Mountains in the west and the Kammanassie Mountains. Mountain Honeybush is also known as Alpine Honeybush.

Mountain Honeybush displays a compact, bushy shrub growth habit, reaching up to 3 ft tall with a spread of approximately 4 ft. Mountain Honeybush produces small, fragrant yellow flowers in clusters.

Leaf size: approximately 2 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Mountain Honeybush every 7–10 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established shrubs mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Mountain Honeybush thrives in full sun to partial shade.

Cyclopia alpina tolerates temperatures of 50–85°F. Mountain Honeybush prefers humidity levels of 40–60%.

Well-draining sandy soil mix with added organic matter like compost. Good drainage is essential for Mountain Honeybush to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Mountain Honeybush every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established shrubs in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to partial shade and well-draining sandy soil mix with added organic matter like compost. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Mountain Honeybush is suited to USDA Zone 8b – 10a.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped shrubs in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Mountain Honeybush can spread to about 4 ft (1.2 m) and reach about 3 ft (1 m) tall. Space plants about 4 ft (1.2 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the plant spacing calculator.

Prune Mountain Honeybush while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the shrub in one year.

Mountain Honeybush is hardy down to USDA zone 8b, so once established it can stay outdoors through winter in that zone and warmer ones.

Water deeply in late autumn before the ground freezes, and spread a 5–8 cm (2–3 in) layer of mulch over the root zone, keeping it away from the trunk.

Young and container-grown shrubs need extra protection: roots in a pot freeze much more easily than roots in the ground.

Mountain Honeybush can be propagated through seeds, semi-hardwood cuttings. Similar propagation techniques also apply to cyclopia alopecuroides plant care, which shares the same genus.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

Mountain Honeybush is susceptible to aphids, spider mites, scale insects. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

Mountain Honeybush grows outdoors in USDA Zone 8b – 10a. It survives winters down to planting zone 8b. Mountain Honeybush is native to the Western Cape and occurs in the Hottentots Holland Mountains, Hex River Mountains and the Wemmershoek Mountains in the west and the Kammanassie Mountains.