Lion's Ear (Leonotis nepetifolia) in the Lions Tail Database

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Herb/Forb Shrub
Life cycle:	Perennial
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun to Partial Shade
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 9a -6.7 °C (20 °F) to -3.9 °C (25 °F)
Maximum recommended zone:	Zone 11
Plant Height:	4 to 10 feet (1-3 m)
Plant Spread:	4 to 6 feet (1.2-1.8m)
Leaves:	Evergreen
Fruit:	Edible to birds
Flowers:	Showy
Flower Color:	Orange
Flower Time:	Late summer or early fall Fall
Suitable Locations:	Xeriscapic
Uses:	Medicinal Herb Cut Flower Will Naturalize
Wildlife Attractant:	Bees Birds Butterflies Hummingbirds
Toxicity:	Other: may cause skin irritation
Propagation: Seeds:	Needs specific temperature: 65 to 70F Days to germinate: 14 to 21 Sow in situ Start indoors Can handle transplanting Other info: self-seeds
Propagation: Other methods:	Cuttings: Stem Division
Containers:	Suitable in 3 gallon or larger

Common names

Lion's Ear
Klip Dagga
Cordao-de-Sao-Francisco
Devil's Pincushion
Lion's Tail

Botanical names

Accepted: Leonotis nepetifolia
Synonym: Phlomis nepetifolia

Photo Gallery

Location: Elephant Butte, NM
Date: 9/23/2013
Received a packet of surprise mix seeds from a member here at All

Uploaded by angele

Location: all photos from my garden
Date: 2014-07-28

Uploaded by poisondartfrog

Location: Mentor on the Lake
Date: 2018-08-03
Hummingbird favorite

Uploaded by Samlav

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2012-10-18

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2011-08-27

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by RoseA32

Location: all photos from my garden
Date: 2014-07-19
way over my head

Uploaded by poisondartfrog

Location: Plano, TX
Close up of flowers.

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Uploaded by QueenDreama

Uploaded by purpleinopp

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2011-10-31
Like a Medieval mace.

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Photo Courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Used with permissio

Uploaded by Joy

Location: Southwest Florida
Date: summer 2008

Uploaded by Dutchlady1

Uploaded by Ridesredmule

Location: Lake City, Fl. zone 8a/9
Date: September
Leaves

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2012-06-01

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Uploaded by tropicalover

Uploaded by purpleinopp

Uploaded by purpleinopp

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2011-11-02

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Cheyenne, Wyoming
Date: 2017-10-22
Please forgive my misspelling of the specific name in the picture

Uploaded by MrsBinWY

Location: Indiana Zone 5
Date: 2012-08-08

Uploaded by gardengus

Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: 2006-09-14

Uploaded by Joy

Location: Plano, TX
Date: 2015-09-15
First flowers

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Uploaded by robertduval14

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2011-09-13
Hummer likes

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Brown City, Michigan
Grown From Seed : This is what my 11 seedlings turned into after

Uploaded by Tree_climber

Uploaded by wcgypsy

Location: Savannah, Georgia, USA
Date: 2013-11-02
Wear gloves; the seed pods are very prickly and they hurt tender

Uploaded by greene

Uploaded by EricaBraun

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2011-11-25

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: Fall, 2011

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Lake City, Fl. zone 8a/9
Date: September
Buds not quite open yet

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by tropicalover

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2012-10-16

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by QueenDreama

Location: zone 8/9 Lake City, Fl.
Date: 2012-02-10

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2015-05-07

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2015-02-19

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Photo Courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Used with permissi

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by Joy

This plant is tagged in:

Comments:

Posted by Tree_climber (Brown City, MI) on Mar 9, 2014 9:21 AM concerning plant:

It was a fast grower, and pretty sturdy. We get some pretty strong winds, and it stayed upright until the beginning of fall, when the winds were just too strong. It is very hard to collect seed from this plant. The flower heads are very spiky .... like little needles. The best way I could devise to harvest the seeds was the following:

Wear gloves!
Cut the seed heads off, and put them in a paper bag.
Let the seed heads dry for a few days (or longer) in the bag and then shake the bag for several minutes.
Most of the seed will fall to the bottom of the bag, and you can discard the seed heads .... make sure you still use gloves.
It is not worth trying to get more seed out of the heads, those little "needles" will get you right through the gloves.

Reply to this comment
Posted by gardengus (Indiana Zone 5b) on Aug 8, 2012 3:39 PM concerning plant:

The leaves on this annual are cordate (heart-shaped) with soft serrated edges up to 4'' wide, except the top leaves, which are lanceolate (lance-shaped), also with serrated edges.

Originally from tropical Africa and southern India

I first grew this from seed (winter sown) and it has reseeded very sparsely on its own, one or two plants a year.

Reply to this comment
Posted by flaflwrgrl (North Fl. - Zone 8b) on Sep 18, 2011 11:20 AM concerning plant:

Let seed heads dry on plants. Birds like the seeds or you can bag the seed heads for collection. CAUTION! The seed heads are spiney & can prick you -- be careful! Wear gloves when handling.
Drought tolerant -- suitable for Xeriscaping.

Reply to this comment

Plant Events from our members
jmorth	On April 17, 2015	Plant emerged
jmorth	On March 31, 2015	Seeds sown In small container placed in plastic bag. Seed 2 years old.
jmorth	From March 31, 2015 to April 17, 2015	Seeds germinated
MrsBinWY	On May 9, 2020	Seeds germinated 2
MrsBinWY	On May 2, 2020	Seeds sown 3 pots of 3 seeds each from the orange 2019 volunteer
MrsBinWY	On April 25, 2019	Potted up 4
MrsBinWY	On March 16, 2019	Seeds germinated 1
MrsBinWY	On March 10, 2019	Seeds sown 25 seeds form 2018G in milk jug @ room temp
MrsBinWY	On April 25, 2017	Potted up 4
MrsBinWY	On April 10, 2017	Seeds germinated 4
MrsBinWY	On April 2, 2017	Seeds sown milk jug, warm room temp, 16 seeds from ishareflowers
antsinmypants	On June 15, 2023	Transplanted 4 Into Arch Garden.
antsinmypants	On April 10, 2023	Plant emerged 3 seedlings emerged.
antsinmypants	On April 7, 2023	Seeds sown 5 sown after a 24-hour soak.

» Post your own event for this plant

Discussion Threads about this plant

Thread Title	Last Reply	Replies
Leonotis leonurus flower & Leonotis nepetifolia seed pod by Danita	Jun 11, 2015 10:58 AM	0
Leonotis nepetifolia by Danita	Nov 12, 2017 2:51 PM	6
Wrong species by Danita	Nov 7, 2018 7:09 PM	3

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Lions Tail Lion's Ear (Leonotis nepetifolia)

Lions Tail

Lion's Ear (Leonotis nepetifolia)