Description
Latin Name: Leonotis nepetifolia. Days to Maturity: 70. About the Plant: Fast-growing annual. (Lion’s Ear, Klip Dagga) Self-seeding annual native to Sub-saharan Africa and India. Highly decorative, multi stemmed, with radiating whorls of long-tubed and curving orange flowers to 10 feet. Traditional usage (African tribal): The orange flowers are a smokable euphoric, source of phytocannabinoids. The leaf material was traditionally used as a poultice or decoction for treating insect stings and bites of venemous snakes, wounds, boils, eczema and other skin diseases. Taken internally for the treatment of malaria, diabetes, also demonstrating a cardiotonic and hypotensive effect. Coughs, colds, influenza, bropnchitis, asthma and viral hepatitis. Source of diterpenoic marrubiin. Sow seed in spring. Barely cover with soil, tamp well and keep evenly moist and warm until germination, which takes 7 to 10 days. Transplant or thin to 2 feet apart.
