Bird’s Brandy – 10 Seeds

Bird’s Brandy (Lantana rugosa) has a wide southern African distribution and is both an ornamental and medicinal plant. It is a hardy, evergreen, much-branched, aromatic shrub, with rough, square-shaped stems and wrinkled leaves. It can grow up to 1.5m in height.

Common names: bird’s beer, bird’s brandy (Eng.); voëlbrandewyn, wildesalie (Afr.); sekwebetane (isiNdebele); utyani-bentaka, utywala bentaka (isiXhosa); impema, ubukhwebezane, ubungungundwane, uguguvama, umkhukhuthwane, utshwala benyoni (isiZulu); mabele-mabutsoa-pele, molutoane (Sesotho).

This woody perennial, grows up to 2 m high. Leaves opposite, ovate to lanceolate. Spikes of pink-purple flowers in spring and summer, followed by small, bright purplish berries. The flowers attract many pollinating insects, including butterflies. The fruit is eaten by people, monkeys and birds.

The plant thrives in moist soil and riverine vegetation, but also grows in grasslands, woodlands and rocky outcrops, at altitudes of 100–1 550 m. It is highly drought and frost tolerant, maintaining its evergreen color throughout, however, it loses some of its leaves in winter.

Bird’s Brandy Medicinal Benefits

In South Africa, various indigenous cultures prepare a paste using either leaves or fruits of Lantana rugosa for the treatment of sore eyes and in the treatment of festering sores.

Growing Bird’s Brandy

Indoor Sowing: Spring and Summer.

Direct Sowing: Spring and Summer.

• Soak the seeds in warm water for 12-24 hours.
• Sow seeds in a well-drained soil in full sun to semi-shade exposure.
• Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil.
• Keep the soil consistently moist, but not soggy, until the seedlings emerge.
• Optimum temperature for germination is 21-24°C.
• Patience is required as germination can take anything from 1 month or longer.
• Water young plants frequently until the plant has become established.
• To encourage bushing, prune the plant after seeding in winter.
• It will flower and fruit best in full sun, but the more shade and water it receives, the larger the leaves will be.