Leonotis nepetifolia
(Christmas candlestick)

Preferred Common Name

• Christmas candlestick

Other Scientific Names

• Leonotis nepetaefolia L.) Mill.
• Leonurus globosus Moench
• Leonurus nepetifolius (L.) Mill
• Phlomis nepetifolia L.

International Common Names

• English: bald bush; bald head; bird honey; bird-head; cat-mint-leaved phlomis; grow pompon; Johnny Collins; klip dagga; knod grass; lion's ear; lion's tail; Lord Lavington; minaret flower; wild dagga
• Spanish: botón de cadete; cebadilla; cevadille; cola de león; cordón de fraile; molenillo; molinillo; panchita; quinino de pasto; rubim de bolas; trebolito
• French: grasse mulatre; gros bouton; gros pompon; gros tête; pompon rouge; pompon soldat; sabadi; salbadi
• Chinese: zungzu
• Portuguese: cordão

Local Common Names

• Brazil: cordão-de-frade; cordão-de-San-Francisco
• Cuba: bastón de San Francisco; botón de San Francisco
• Germany: katzenminzblättriges Löwenohr
• India: bara guma; deepa shoole; deepmal; goa gadde; granthi; granthika; granthiparna; granthiparni; kaaduthumbe; lal guma; ranabheri
• Southern Africa: ihambambeba; kambanje; mudyatsonzo; mudzutsu; mukadzimainza; nyamuchena; umhlahlampethu; utshwala-benyoni
• Sweden: sommarlejonöra
• Zimbabwe: momba

• Domain: Eukaryota
•     Kingdom: Plantae
•         Phylum: Spermatophyta
•             Subphylum: Angiospermae
•                 Class: Dicotyledonae
•                     Order: Lamiales
•                         Family: Lamiaceae
•                             Genus: Leonotis
•                                 Species: Leonotis nepetifolia

There are two distinct varieties of L. nepetifolia: L. nepetifolia (L.) W.T. Aiton var. nepetifolia and L. nepetifolia var. africana (P.Beauv.) J.K.Morton; the former is common throughout the cosmopolitan, pan-tropical range of L. nepetifolia but rare in Central, North-east and West Africa where the latter predominates except in Malawi and East Africa (Iwarsson and Harvey, 2003).

Synonyms exist for the two varieties of L. nepetifolia (The Plant List, 2013).

Leonotis nepetifolia var. africana (P.Beauv.) J.K.Morton:

• Leonotis africana (P.Beauv.) Briq.
• Leonotis pallida (Schumach. & Thonn.) Benth.
• Phlomis africana P.Beauv.
• Phlomis pallida Schumach. & Thonn.

L. nepetifolia (L.) W.T. Aiton var. nepetifolia

• Leonotis kwebensis N.E.Br.
• Leonotis ovata Bojer
• Stachys mediterranea Vell.

The common name Lion’s ear comes from the orange flowers which are borne in spiny clusters.

Soil drainage

• free
• impeded
• seasonally waterlogged

Soil reaction

• neutral

Soil texture

• heavy
• medium

L. nepetifolia reproduces by seeds which are dispersed by water and by adhering to animals and machinery (Weeds of Australia, 2015). 

L. nepetifolia can become a problem for cattle producers in northern Australia and may reduce the access to waterways for livestock, due to the spiky nature of the inflorescence (heads), and its presence along riverbanks (Weeds of Australia, 2015).

L. nepetifolia is an agricultural weed in both Australia and Mexico, especially in no-till systems, requiring control and management (Piedra-Ibarra et al., 2005; Concenço et al., 2011; Clarkson et al., 2012). It can be a serious weed of crops including rice and sugarcane in South America (Smith, 2002).

L. nepetifolia is a host for viruses: Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV), Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), a satellite RNA of CMV (CMV satRNA) and Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), and thus could represent a risk to cultivated plants (Piedra-Ibarra et al., 2005). It is also a host for Sphaceloma, which causes scab on cowpeas (Adebitan, 1998).

L. nepetifolia can form dense stands along riverbanks and on floodplains, replacing indigenous species and altering the trophic levels and altering ecosystem services. 

L. nepetifolia is listed as a possible threat to the endangered Hawaiian fern Marsilea villosa by Chau et al. (2013). In some survey years it was one of the most abundant species in plots where the fern was present. While Chau et al. say that the fern appeared to be resilient to L. nepetifolia invasion over the years of their study, they warn that L. nepetifolia has been documented as causing ecological harm in Hawaii and cannot be discounted as an individual species that could have significant effects on M. villosa growth. 

• Invasive in its native range
• Proved invasive outside its native range
• Has a broad native range
• Abundant in its native range
• Highly adaptable to different environments
• Is a habitat generalist
• Pioneering in disturbed areas
• Benefits from human association (i.e. it is a human commensal)
• Fast growing
• Has high reproductive potential
• Has high genetic variability

• Altered trophic level
• Damaged ecosystem services
• Monoculture formation
• Negatively impacts agriculture
• Negatively impacts forestry
• Reduced native biodiversity
• Threat to/ loss of endangered species
• Threat to/ loss of native species

• Competition - smothering
• Rapid growth
• Rooting

L. nepetifolia has been used to treat bronchial asthma, diarrhea, fever, influenza and malaria in India; the species is also reported as an analgesic and as exhibiting antifungal and antibacterial activities (Prakash et al., 2012; Dhawan et al., 2013; Maobe et al., 2013). Repeated applications can reduce excretion of the eggs of gastrointestinal parasites of goats (Mbanzamihigo et al., 2013).

A commercial website claims that the dried foliage of L. nepetifolia has psychoactive properties and is sometimes used as a substitute for marijuana; smoking the dried leaves gives a euphoric-like effect and a sense of exuberance (Jessurun, 2015).