Leonotis Species, Lion's Ear, Lion's Tail, Wild Dagga

On Dec 8, 2020, Tracee from Tulsa, OK wrote:

I'm in Tulsa OK. I started this from seed indoors on a heat mat in Feb. 2020. I planted them out in late April as tiny little sprigs. They did not bloom until they were very robust specimens of up to 10 feet tall. I think they started blooming at 7 feet. It is almost mid December and we've had a light frost as usual in Oct. which did not hurt them. They are still blooming beautifully. I did not notice that the hummingbirds had that much interest here. They prefer the morning glories, salvias and cardinal vines. Also the Vitex and to my surprise the English ivy flowers. This will be my first year to try to overwinter the Leonotis in the ground. I intend to place several full bags of oak leaves atop them starting in January. I'm not going to cut them to the ground-maybe to 2 foot sturdy sta... read morelks. I'm anxious to see if they come back. The seed is not ripe yet-still green inside the husks. Touching any part of the plant makes my hands itch. They are truly spectacular though.

On Mar 30, 2017, bosbriguy from Brighton, MA wrote:

I live in Boston, Ma, although they aren't a perennial here, they have always grown to 10ft tall for me, very uniform, absolute monsters by the first frost. They grow very fast and seeds are plentiful. Each plant had literally hundreds of flowers and they blew my neighbors away. The color was a dark orange/red and really brought in the hummingbirds, they would be swarming above my head while I gardened. I should see if I can find some old seeds lying around and bring them back into my garden. They were high maintenance because of their size, but nothing that spectacular is without work. I paired them with castor plants that grew 7ft and 6ft cleome on the south side of a white house, the rabbits ate everything else.

On Aug 2, 2015, Tyson0222 from San Antonio, TX (Zone 8a) wrote:

Please advise: Our two lions tale plants survived our winter and are beautiful and bushy, measuring 4'x4'. This year they have not produced a single bloom.

Any suggestions?

We're in zone 8.

Thanks!

-Evan

On Sep 30, 2013, otter47 from Livermore, CA wrote:

We have two large specimen plants of lion's tail at our Sensory Garden in Pleasanton, CA. The plants always attract attention for their form and unusual color of the flowers. It is easily grown, not requiring lots of irrigation water. We prune it back heavily each year to maintain a reasonable size, and the plant responds with new blooming new growth. It is at its best in late summer and autumn.

On Sep 3, 2012, samiam1 from Willis, VA wrote:

I planted this plant from seedlings. It has grown over 7 feet and has many blooms. i plan to harvest seeds and grow again in the spring.I only found out about its properties when I tasted a leaf... my mouth went numb. One of its names is toothache plant. I am in the mts of SW va

On Feb 20, 2011, annlof from Camarillo, CA wrote:

In Zone 10 this plant makes a pretty large xeric shrub which blooms for most of the year. Our leonitis self-sows prodigiously, but the seedlings usually appear close to the base of the parent plant and are easily weeded out, if desired. I try to prune about 30% off my leonotis in the fall to keep them in bounds. In our cool maritime climate, this plant is very drought-tolerant, thriving with a deep soaking once every three weeks in the summer (with no supplemental rainfall.) Also a real magnet for hummingbirds.

On Jun 16, 2010, Ellen8 from Berkeley, CA wrote:

CURLED LEAVES on my lion's tail--

in three different nurseries in the San Francisco bay area, the lion's tail's leaves were all curled. One nursery thought it may have been from cold. I have examined them thoroughly, but am still afraid to plant them in case there is something that will infect other plants. Does anyone know the cause of the leaf curl?

On Dec 2, 2009, fauckland from Longmont, CO wrote:

I would like to add Cheyenne, Wyoming to the list of locations that Lion's Tail "Staircase" was grown. I was at the Cheyenne Botanical Garden this past summer. Lion's Tail held a prominent place in several of the gardens. It went well with Verbena Bonariensis, Indian Summer Black Eyed Susan and Purple Echinacea Cone
flowers.

On Jul 27, 2009, wingsandblooms from Saint Matthews, SC (Zone 8a) wrote:

I purchased this plant (and I don't know which variety it is) nearly 15 years ago while on a trip to Florida to Butterfly World. I was told it would not survive the winter here as we live near the dividing line between Zones 8 and 7 almost in the middle of South Carolina. However, I planted it right in front of our house with an eastern facing so I guess it has had some protection. It does die back over the winter, but comes right back in late spring producing more and more shoots each year and blooms prolifically in September and October until frost. I hope to learn (by experimenting) this year how to propogate it. I will try to collect some seeds, but I will also try to take some cuttings and will try to cut off and separate some of the stalks at the roots. I just love it and have ... read moresome neighbors who would like me to share it with them.

On Jun 15, 2009, blueskyfd11 from Harrison Valley, PA (Zone 5a) wrote:

I love growing unusual plants and trees and this plant is such an eye catcher! Last year I grew it in part sun part shade and it did well. When the plants get about 2-3 in. I cut off the next set of new leaves that come on so it branches out, then cut those as they grow to fill out the plant more. This year it is growing in full sun.

On Nov 1, 2008, margie_b from Swarthmore, PA wrote:

I grew L. leonurus from seed indoors in the spring of 2008. From an early June planting out, the 7-8 plants grew to about 7-8' tall and bloomed from early October to frost. They are spectacular even before they bloom!
I plan to pot up a few of them to winter over in my 40 deg. greehouse. Perhaps they will even root from cuttings in the spring to increase my supply.
I will replant them next year in both my garden and in a public garden which I manage. Maybe they will start blooming earlier from that headstart.

On Jan 12, 2008, tabby7 from Alford, FL wrote:

Another name for this delightful plant is Lion's Paw. Butterflies and hummingbirds are attracted to it. Blooms for a long period of time - early in spring, during summer's heat and, before our recent "hard freeze" again in December. Children love it for the fuzzy blooms, the beautiful color and it's unforgettable name.

On Sep 23, 2007, mrs_colla from Marin, CA (Zone 9b) wrote:

Very easy, and the hummers love it!

On Mar 26, 2007, LHCstudent from Portland, ME wrote:

We use this plant at the University of Maine in Orono. It is possible to grow it up there if it is well protected and in full sun. I think it works nice as when planted in a cluster in the center of a circular privacy garden. Pretty unique.

On Nov 23, 2005, zville123 from Zanesville, OH (Zone 6a) wrote:

I've grown this plant for several years. It's the talk of the neighborhood. I harvest the seeds to share with those I know and to grow new plants the following year. I prefer the way this plant fills out to L. nepetifolia. But I still grow both.

On Jul 7, 2005, edfinney from Sarasota, FL (Zone 9b) wrote:

Beautiful flowers and it grows well here but plant is very large and takes up much to much room in my garden where space is at a premium. I have NEVER seen a butterfly upon it. So, I plant to shovel prune mine soon.

On Jan 30, 2005, kviolette from Raleigh, NC (Zone 8a) wrote:

This plant has been growing in my Raleigh NC (Zone 7b/8a) garden without special protection for the last four years. We have seen temps as low as 10 deg at least once a season over that same period and it has returned each year although rather late in the season. I got this plant from an Oct. JC Raulston Arboretum giveaway, planted it in Oct and it has been doing well since. I do not know if it is a special cultivar bred for cold hardiness. That first winter (2000-2001) was very mild by NC standards which may have been a stroke of luck (pelargoniums returned in the spring that year). Spring planting under normal circumstances would be a wise choice to bolster the cold hardiness. I was unfamiliar with the plant at the time.

The leonitis behaves as an herbaceous perennia... read morel here and grows to about 3feet including the bloom stalks. It blooms in late Sept and Oct until the first killing frost. It is planted at the top of a well drained bank on the dry side. No fertilizer is used, only an annual mulching with shredded bark mulch. This year I have piled leaves on top and am waiting to cut it back in the spring to see if it comes up earlier than the past.

This is a great plant for its late season interest. Summer's last hurrah in my garden.

Kathy

On Oct 5, 2004, revjca from Austin, TX wrote:

love this plant! beautiful and has gone through 3 bloom cycles from the beginning of june to the beginning of october. easy to grow in decent soil with decent drainage. also, the flower petals are a traditional smoke of an african tradition, quite mild. i've also been told that it is deer resistant, but i have not experimented there yet.

On Jan 25, 2004, lien from Santa Rosa Beach, FL wrote:

I started several plants from seed in my greenhouse in 2/03. by july/03 they were in my flower patch and 8-10feet tall, widely branched, almost forming a thick hedge. I needed the space in my garden and planted some of the smaller ones in a very poor area in my front yard in full sun. It is now 1/25/04, and i am happy to report that they are blooming more then ever, eventhough we have had many freezes (28 F having been the coldest). I have not taken care of them since I stopped watering in september. They have adapted their shape from straight up to curving, even making curves 1" above ground, always with a flower or two (or three)at the end. The 1st and second flower pod will bloom but never the smallest one at the tip. Has anyone had the same experience? I will try to propagate them next... read more month or so, but will leave them in place to see how they will make out. Possibly a perrenial in NW Florida's Gulf Coast?

On Dec 27, 2003, RichSwanner from Citrus Heights, CA (Zone 9b) wrote:

As one can see by my pictures this is a beautiful plant.It grows straight up and out. I thought as with most of my shots, what would a hummingbird, or bee see? These were taken with a 1.3 megapixel camera. I have a Nikon 35mm slr, but this is my first venture into digital. I have found you can grow anything at anytime of the year here(9a). This is a S. Africa native, thru Hawaii. Almost all plants that say cape in their name can take cold to 25 degrees or less. Look for those if you like this one.

On Aug 7, 2003, soilsandup from Sacramento, CA (Zone 9a) wrote:

I planted this in my yard last year and it was doing quite well. It started to flower in June of this year, but then the branches started to die off one by one. By late July, the whole plant was dead. I do not know why. I don't think that it is due to underwatering or overwatering since everything around it was fine.

On Feb 3, 2003, Crimson from Clarksville, TN (Zone 6b) wrote:

I loved this plant and would grow it again... in a warmer zone. The stems are very strong and woody. I started them indoors, but even doing that they barely made it to start blooming before hard frost... zone 4 is just too short and I can't bring them in over the winter.

On Dec 10, 2002, ButterflyGardnr from Orlando, FL (Zone 9b) wrote:

I just got this plant this spring for the butterfly/hummer garden and like it so far. It started out in March '02 in a 2 inch pot and has grown to about 4 ft. tall and 2 ft. wide over 10 months. I haven't added any fertilizer beyond the compost I mixed into the planting hole when I installed it. So far it has not been damaged by the cold weather (down to around 38) and I haven't had any fungus problems.

On Oct 13, 2002, Ulrich from Manhattan Beach, CA (Zone 11) wrote:

Courtesy of 'Troy':

Perennial if protected from freezing, grown as an annual in the temperate north. Native of South Africa. Highly decorative, with tall, whorled spikes holding arrays of long-tubed and curving orange flowers that resemble lion's ears. Hummingbirds love them.

Internally, the tea of the dried leaves is taken to treat headache, bronchitis, high blood pressure and the common cold.

Cultivation: Extra care. Start early. Germ. in 5-9 days. Plant prefers fertile soil, regular watering and full sun. Space 1 or 2 feet apart. Flowers to 5 feet.