Wild Dagga Leonotis leonurus

Lions Tail is a broadleaf evergreen, flowering, tropical, upright shrub in the mint family with a woody base and herbaceous stems. It grows rapidly to a mature height of 6 feet and boasts very showy rings of bright orange, hairy, two-lipped tubular flowers that look great in flower arrangements. The leaves are lance shaped and give off a pleasant fragrance when crushed.
The genus name comes from the Greek words leon meaning a lion and ous or otis meaning an ear in reference to the corolla that could look like a lion's ear. The species name means lion's tail.

Originally from South Africa, this plant is tolerant of extreme heat, drought, and dry soils. It does best in full sun with regular moisture and is not fussy concerning soil type as long as it is well drained.

It can be a tricky plant to grow outside of an indoor environment. It is usually considered an annual when grown outside, but can be grown in a container as a tender perennial and taken indoors in winter. If flowering occurs on container plants in fall, overwinter the plant in a sunny locations with flowering continuing into winter. If flowering does not occur, overwinter the plant in a cool location with bright light. Return it outdoors after last frost date and flowering will usually occur. While it can freeze to the ground in the winter it will often sprout from hardened wood in the spring.  Alternatively, mulching the crown in the winter will help ensure the plant survives.  Prune annually after flowering to maintain a bushy dense shape.

Plant as a screen or let it naturalize in the landscape through self-seeding.  Pollinators love the nectar in this plant and it is often visited by hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies.  Deer leave this plant alone.  Propagate by green stem cutting or seeding in the garden before the last frost date.

Diseases, Insect Pests and Other Plant Problems:

No known diseases or insect pests. Whiteflies and spider mites can be a problem for indoor plants.