Lion’s Ear/Lion’s Tail (Leonotis leonurus) 獅耳花

Lion’s Ear/Lion’s Tail (Leonotis leonurus) 獅耳花

Image see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonotis_leonurus

Lion’s Ear/Lion’s Tail (Leonotis leonurus) seedling. 獅耳花小苗.

Lion’s Ear/Lion’s Tail (Leonotis leonurus) seed pack and seeds. 獅耳花種子包及種子.

It is a mint family tender perennial or small shrub. Native in Africa.  Easy to grow.  Best growing in full sun to partial shade location.  Aromatic orange flowers in late summer to early fall.  Flowers attract bees, butterflies and humming birds.  Propagate by seeds or cuttings.  USDA Zones:9-11.   Mature size:4′-6′(H)/(W).  Medicinal herb.  Plants with sharp edge/spines so handle the plants with care!   The differences between the Leonotis leonurus and Leonotis nepetifolia are leaf shape and flowers.  Leonotis leonurus leaf has longer, close to oval shape but Leonotis nepetifolia more like heart/triangle shape.  Leonotis nepetifolia before flowering the flower base shape looks like a sea urchin.

獅耳花(Leonotis leonurus)是獅耳屬熱帶常綠多年生草本或小灌木. 全株芳香是薄荷家族的香草.  容易栽種.  最好栽種於全日照到半日照處.  橘色管狀花於夏末秋初盛開,花為吸引蜂蝶及蜂鳥的蜜源植物. 原生非洲.  獅耳花為非洲傳統的藥用植物.治療範圍很廣可內用及外用. 繁殖方式以種子及扦插為主. 喜熱不耐寒.  成熟株高4-6呎,寬幅亦同.  植株花葉間有尖刺要小心!  獅耳花Leonotis leonurus和海膽花Leonotis nepetifolia的不同之處是葉形與花序形狀.  獅耳花葉形較長偏長橢圓,海膽花則呈偏心形/三角形的葉片,且花獅耳花的唇狀花較長較呈管狀,海膽花的唇狀花較短,花序則真的像是扎人的海膽形狀.

Reference links: 參考網站資料連結:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonotis_leonurus