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.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Available space
3 feet-6 feet; 6-feet-12 feet
Mature size
Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 6 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Oblanceolate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf value
Fragrant
Leaf size
> 6 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Four to six inch long laceolate, dark green leaves with serrated margins. Leaves are aromatic when bruised.
Flower color
Orange
Flower value
Good Cut; Long Bloom Season; Showy
Flower shape
Lipped; Tubular
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
Hairy, tubular, orange flowers in whorls with two lips appear late spring through fall. Flowers appear in tiered whorls that encircle the square stems. They rise up to three feet above the foliage mass during the summer season. The common name Lion's Ear comes from the flowers resembling the color and shape of a lion's ear.
Bloom time
Fall; Spring; Summer
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
South Africa
Distribution
Subtropical or Mediterranean climates such as California or Hawaii.
Wildlife value
Flowers attract hummingbirds, bees and butterflies.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Hummingbirds
Food & Medicine
Uses (ethnobotany)
Used in traditional African medicine.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Coastal; Container; Patio; Rock Wall
Landscape theme
Cottage Garden; Cutting Garden; Garden for the Blind; Pollinator Garden; Rock Garden
Design feature
Border; Screen/Privacy
Garden tags
#heat tolerant #nectar plant spring #pollinator plant #dry soils tolerant #drought tolerant #hummingbird friendly #self-seeding #deer resistant #nectar plant fall #long bloom time #flowers late spring #flowers early summer #border planting #flowers mid-summer #fragrant leaves #bedding plants #flowers late summer #disease resistant #cottage garden #border back #border middle #butterfly friendly #flowers late fall #bee friendly #container plant #pest resistant #flowers early fall #patio #wildlife friendly