Wilde Dagga - Leonotis leonurus
Wilde Dagga - Leonotis leonurus

Common names: wild dagga, lion’s ear, leonotis, minaret flower, Cape hemp (English); imvovo, utywala-bengcungcu, umfincafincane, umunyamunya (Xhosa); umcwili, utshwala-bezinyoni, imvovo, utywala-bengcungcu, umfincafincane, umunyamunya, umunyane (Zulu); lebake (Sotho); wildedagga, duiwelstabak, rooidagga (Afrikaans). 
Botanical name: Leonotis leonurus

Leonotis leonurus, commonly known as wild dagga, has orange flowers attracting nectar-feeding sunbirds. This fast-growing shrub, reaching 2-3m in height, blooms for months. Easy to grow, it adapts to various environments, thriving in well-drained soils. Primarily bird-pollinated, it entices sunbirds, honey bees, and butterflies. Beyond its ornamental appeal, wild dagga holds medicinal value, with traditional uses ranging from headache relief to snakebite treatment.

Uses & Benefits: food, hedge, medicine, pot plant, smoke, tea

All Plant Profiles

Nature & Cultivation

Family: Lamiaceae
Type: scrambler, shrub
Vegetation type:  
Flower colour: orange, white, yellow
Flowering season: Summer, Winter
Plant-animal interactions: bees, birds, butterflies
Red list status: Least Concern

Light-level: afternoon sun, full sun, morning sun
Soil type: loamy, well-composted, well-drained
Soil pH: 
Propagation: cuttings, division, seed

Use as Medicine

Safety: caution with high doses

Herbal traditions: Cape Herbal Medicine, Khoi & San
Plant parts used: flowers, leaves, roots

First-aid use: asthma, boils, colds & 'flu, constipation, cough, eczema, haemorrhoids, headache, high blood pressure, insect bites, intestinal worms, muscle cramps 
Medical use:  
Veterinary use:  

Plant qualities: bitter, cleansing, cooling, soothing
Plant actions: analgesic / anodyne, anthelmintic / vermifuge, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anticonvulsant / anti-epileptic, antifungal, antiprotozoal, cardioprotective, hypoglycaemic / anti-diabetic, hypotensive, immunomodulator, insect repellent, purgative
Phytochemical constituents: acetoside, alkaloids, caryophyllene, flavonoids, geniposidic acid, germacrene, humulene, leoleorin, limonene, luteolin, marrubiin, ocimene, saponins, succinic acid, tannins, terpinene, uracil

Plant preparations: bath, compress, decoction, dried, extract, fresh, infusion - aqueous, smoke, tincture, wash

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