Leonotis nepetifolia

Lion's ear, Annual lion's tail

Message of the Flower

Ascension

The Mother’s Comment

Stage by stage one climbs towards the Consciousness.

Spiritual Message by the Mother/ Quotes by Sri Aurobindo

There must be an ascension of the whole being, an ascension of spirit chained here and trammelled by its instruments and its environment to sheer Spirit free above, an ascension of soul towards some blissful Super-soul, an ascension of mind towards some luminous Supermind, an ascension of life towards some vast Super-life, an ascension of our very physicality to join its origin in some pure and plastic spirit-substance. And this cannot be a single swift upsoaring but, like the ascent of the sacrifice described in the Veda, a climbing from peak to peak in which from each summit one looks up to the much more that has still to be done.

Sri Aurobindo, The Synthesis of Yoga - I: The Sacrifice, the Triune Path and the Lord of the Sacrifice

Colour

Orange

Family

Lamiaceae

Person who named the flower

Carl Linnaeus

Flower Size

Approximately 2 inches in diameter

Flower Texture

Soft, velvety

Number of Petals

The flower is tubular, divided into lobes rather than separate petals

Floral Symmetry

Bilateral

Fragrance of Flower

Minimal to no fragrance

Leaf Texture

Rough, hairy

Leaf Arrangement

Opposite

Leaf Color

Green

Structural Variation (Shrub or Tree)

Herbaceous plant or shrub

Life Cycle

Annual or perennial depending on the climate

Blooming Period

Late summer to fall

Climate

Tropical to subtropical, but can be grown in temperate regions during warm months

Water Requirements

Moderate, drought-tolerant once established

Soil Type

Prefers well-drained soil; tolerant of a variety of soil types

Temperature Ranges

Thrives in warm temperatures; not frost-hardy

Sun or Shade

Full sun

Susceptibility to Insects and Diseases

Generally pest-resistant but can be susceptible to spider mites and whiteflies under stress

Pollinators

Attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Habitat

Native to tropical Africa and southern India; found in open, sunny locations

Role in the Ecosystem

Provides nectar for pollinators

Ornamental

Grown for its striking flowers and architectural foliage

Uses in Other Aspects of Life

Primarily ornamental

Endangered Status

Not listed as endangered

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