lion's tail
Leonotis leonurus
USDA zones8 to 11
SunHandles full sun to partial sun
WaterHandles dry to moderate soil
Size4 to 6 feet tall4 to 6 feet wide
- Growth rate
- Rapid
- Habit
- Erect
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, autumn
- Bloom color
- Orange
- Foliage color
- Green
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay, chalk
- Soil pH
- Alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Lion's tail (Leonotis leonurus) is a shrub for borders, cut flowers, pollinator gardens, and containers. It is hardy to USDA zone 8, or down to 10°F (-12°C). This plant likes full or part sun and dry to average soil of most types. Orange flowers appear in spring, summer, and autumn, and they attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees. Deer tend to browse other plants first. The evergreen leaves are fragrant, and the plant grows fast.
Pairs well with Hidcote lavender, Matilija poppy, and Blue grama.
Native range
South Africa.