It can also be found growing abundantly in much of Latin America, the West Indies,[2] and the Southeastern United States.

[3] It grows to a height of 3 metres (9 ft 10 in) and has whorls of striking lipped flowers, that are most commonly orange,[1] but can vary to red, white, and purple.

Leonotis nepetifolia is known in Trinidad as shandilay and the leaves are brewed as a tea for fever, coughs, womb prolapse, malaria, and suggested to be beneficial to bone and lung health.

[citation needed] Leonotis nepetifolia and wild dagga contains several labdane diterpenes including Hydroxynepetaefolin, Nepetaefuran, Nepetaefolinol, Nepetaefolin, Leonotinin, Leonotin and Dubiin as well as bispirolabdane diterpenes like Leonepetaefolin A-E.[5][6][7] Methanol based extracts of Leonotis nepetifolia has shown antidepressant-like effects in mice.

[8] Nepetaefuran and leonotinin isolated from Leonotis nepetaefolia plant material demonstrated anti-inflammatory by suppressing NF-κB activation related to proinflammatory Cytokines.