Species Overview

Native to: Africa and India

Lion’s ear was a popular easy to grow ornamental distributed globally by European colonial expansion as early as the 17th century. It is vouchered in Florida as early as 1897 and can be found throughout the state in disturbed sites and sometimes in natural areas. It is listed as having a high invasion risk by the UF IFAS Assessment of Non-Native Plants in Florida’s Natural Areas. It is also reported to be invasive in other parts of the world including Australia and Hawaii.

Species Characteristics

Family: Lamiaceae

Habit: Annual or perennial upright herb, can grow up to 6-9 feet high.

Leaves: Oppositely arranged along the stems and borne on stalks. Lower leaves are oblong-ovate to ovate and larger and broader than those towards the top of the plant. All leaves have distinctly toothed margins, pointed tips and are sparsely hairy.

Flowers: Born in dense rounded clusters (5-6 cm across) towards the tops of the stems. Each cluster is arranged directly on the main stem, just above a pair of leaves. Individual flowers (20-40 mm long) are orange to reddish-orange in color and tubular in shape with two main lobes, the lower lobe is further divided near the tip, while the upper lobe is somewhat arched or curved and densely hairy. Flowers are surrounded by a green calyx tube and have two elongated and pointed green bracts.

Fruit/Seeds: Individual fruit is a four-lobed capsule that separates into four seeds when mature. Seeds are dark brown or dull black and either somewhat egg-shaped or triangular.

Distribution in Florida: Statewide

Impacts

The primary means of spread is by seed. Where it becomes established it can form large colonies and displace native vegetation. It has also been reported as an agricultural pest in rice and sugar cane in South America.

Do not plant. If working or recreating in an area where it is present and gone to seed, take care to decontaminate equipment and clothing before moving to uninfested areas. 

If caught early, plants can be hand pulled before seed is set.

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None known.

Picloram + triclopyr is recommended for chemical control in Australia (Clarkson et al., 2012). Consult your local UF IFAS Extension Office for management recommendations.