Wild Dagga in the Origins Centre indigenous garden

Leonotis leonurus
WILD DAGGA
UMCWILI
DUIWELS TABAK

A fast growing shrub with erect, branched stems with bright orange ball-shaped flowers that are nectar-rich. Although not related to Cannabis, it produces a mild sedated intoxication, and is smoked medicinally for epilepsy.

Wild dagga is a robust shrub that grows almost anywhere in South Africa.

Many sunbirds feed on the copious nectar in the aptly tubular orange or white flowers thereby pollinating the plant. The plant also attracts ants, bees, and butterflies.

Wild dagga is used to treat headaches, coughs, asthma, dysentery, fever, haemorrhoids, snakebites, tapeworm, and is used traditionally as a snake repellent. It also treats gall sickness in livestock. It is both an anti-nociceptive, anti-diabetic, and anti-inflammatory, but is dangerous in large doses.

The name Leonotis is derived from the Greek words leon meaning lion and -otis meaning ear. This refers to the upper lips of each flower that resemble a lion’s ear.