Leonotis leonurus

Leonotis leonurus

Quantity:

Common Names

Wild Dagga (english)
Wildedagga (afrikaans)
umcwili (zulu)

Taxonomy

Family LAMIACEAE
Genus Leonotis
Species leonurus
SA Plant Number
Basionym Leonotis leonurus

Description

Leonotis leonurus is a very hardy, drought and frost resistant, evergreen perennial shrub.

This well-loved, decorative shrub has masses of showy, compact clusters of orange or white, velvety flowers repeated in circles up the length of every long stalk from February to July. 

An important food and nectar plant for sunbirds, bees and butterflies during autumn and winter.

Plant in sun or semi-shade and cut back severely after flowering for best results and mass flowering the next season.

It has been grown as a garden plant in Europe since the 1600s.

It is extensively used as a traditional medicinal and magical herb. Use the dried flowers in potpourri.

Size Up to 2m

Wildlife

Wildlife garden plant:

This is an important food and nectar plant for Sunbirds, bees and butterflies during autumn and winter.

Butterfly Host Plant:

The Bush Bronze butterfly (Cacyreus lingeus) uses Leonotis leonurus as one of its larval food plants. (ref: http://pza.sanbi.org)

Uses

Distribution

Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu Natal,  Eastern Cape, Western Cape

Biome:
Grassland

Natural Habitat:

Grassland

 

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