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Lion's ear is a shrubby, semi-woody, perennial or a semi-evergreen subshrub that gets up to 6 ft (1.8 m) tall with a spread of 2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m). Lion's ear has numerous erect, straight stems that bear whorled clusters of orange-red, two-lipped, tubular flowers from summer until early winter. Each flower is about 2 in (5.1 cm) long and the rounded clusters about 4 in (10.2 cm) across. The clusters are arranged on the stems one above another. The flowers are densely hairy on the outside of the tube, and said to resemble the ear of a lion. Like most mints, lion's ear has opposite leaves and the herbaceous (non-woody) new growth has stems that are square in cross section. The leaves are mildly fragrant and linear to lance-shaped, 2-4 in (5.1-10.2 cm) long, with scalloped margins. The cultivar 'Harrismith White' has white flowers.
Location
Culture
Lion's ear is usually grown in a mixed shrub border or butterfly garden. It is a striking plant in bloom, and looks good in a mass or grouped with other butterfly-attracting shrubs like the shrubby salvias (Salvia spp.), bottlebrushes (Callistemon spp.) and butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii). Lion's ear is fairly salt tolerant and a good shrub for coastal gardens. Prune to encourage more flowering stems. Lion's ear can be pruned back heavily.
Features For millennia wild dagga, as this plant is also commonly called, has been used in Africa for medical purposes, shamanistic rituals and as a euphoriant. Wild dagga extracts, flowers and foliage are now sold as legal substitutes for marijuana (Cannabis sativa). Steve Christman 3/24/00; updated 3/5/04
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