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Tooth Lionface (Nemesia denticulata), whole plant
  • Tooth Lionface — close-up of leaves and flowers
  • Tooth Lionface — seasonal appearance
  • Tooth Lionface in a garden setting

Tooth Lionface

Nemesia denticulata

Medium · Some experience

About Tooth Lionface

Confetti Nemesia is a South African tender perennial grown as a cool-season annual in American containers, producing airy clouds of tiny lavender-pink orchid-like flowers on slender stems. Growing 8 to 14 inches tall in mounded form, it is more heat-tolerant than Nemesia strumosa and blooms longer into summer. 'Confetti' and 'Innocence' are the iconic cultivars driving modern American cool-season container designs.

  • Fragrant
  • Container-friendly
  • Long-blooming
  • Pollinator-friendly
WATER
Regular
Top inch dry
LIGHT
Full sun
6+ hrs direct
HARDY
Hardy to 10°F (-12°C)
USDA hardiness zones 8–10

How to care for Tooth Lionface

Watering

  • Springevery 3 days
  • Summerevery 3 days
  • Fallevery 5 days
  • Winterevery 7 days

Soil · Well-draining

  • Top dressingPine bark mulch10%
  • Main mixPotting soil + perlite 2:170%
  • DrainageLECA / gravel20%

Never skip the drainage layer — standing water is the top cause of root rot.

FERTILIZER

Balanced Feed 14-14-14

An even feed covers all three needs at once, keeping leaves, roots and blooms moving together with nothing pushed out of balance.

N33%P33%K33%
  • Nitrogen · Leaves
  • Phosphorus · Roots + Blooms
  • Potassium · Strength
  • Springevery 14 days
  • Summerevery 21 days
  • Fallevery 21 days
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At a Glance

  • NativeAfrica
  • Height0.5–1.5 ft (0.2–0.5 m)
  • Spread1–1.5 ft (0.3–0.5 m)
  • Flower colorPink, Purple, White
  • Foliage colorGreen
  • SoilLoamy, Well-drained
  • LocationsBalcony · Yard

Bloom time

BLOOM CYCLE

Peak bloom

Mar–Aug

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Airy lavender-pink clusters spring to early summer

Fragrance

MODERATE FRAGRANCE

Sweet vanilla or almond scent.

Toxicity

Toxicity unknown

None reported

Unknown

EXPOSURE Unspecified plant material.

EFFECT Toxic effects are not specified.

NOTE Toxicity for humans is not well documented; use caution until verified.

Unknown

EXPOSURE Unspecified plant material.

EFFECT Toxic effects are not specified.

NOTE Toxicity for dogs is not well documented; use caution until verified.

Unknown

EXPOSURE Unspecified plant material.

EFFECT Toxic effects are not specified.

NOTE Toxicity for cats is not well documented; use caution until verified.

Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.

DISTRIBUTION

Tooth Lionface · Native
  • Native
  • Introduced
  • Africa

History

Illustrated historical scene for Tooth Lionface

Nemesia denticulata, commonly called confetti nemesia, is a short-lived subshrub native to moist mountainous areas of South Africa's Eastern Cape. English botanist Adolf Engler described the species in 1868. Although long overlooked by the ornamental trade, the plant became a horticultural sensation in the 1990s when English plantsman Bob Brown of Cotswold Garden Flowers selected the hardier cultivar Confetti, released commercially in 1999.

The selection proved hardier and longer-blooming than the better-known annual Nemesia strumosa, igniting a wave of perennial Nemesia breeding at Proven Winners, Ball FloraPlant, and British nurseries that produced the Aromatica, Sunsatia, Karoo, and Juicy Fruits series. Flowers of most cultivars carry a sweet vanilla or almond fragrance, and the plants perform best in the cool shoulder seasons.

A South African mountain species, introduced to American horticulture in the 1990s. The Proven Winners 'Sunsatia' series expanded nemesia into mainstream American spring container plantings, and 'Confetti' became a cool-season grower favorite for its heat tolerance.

Symbolism & meaning

What It Symbolizes

Tooth lionface scatters fragrant confetti across the spring garden — small four-lobed blooms in pastel pinks and whites, each releasing a honey-vanilla fragrance unusual for so airy a plant. That spring sweetness drifts on the cool morning air, perfuming patios and entryways. Few annuals achieve this combination of lightness and scent, turning a small pot into a quietly perfumed corner of the garden.

  • Fragrant confetti — airy scattered blooms perfume the air
  • Spring sweetness — offers a soft honey-vanilla fragrance

Where the Name Comes From

'Nemesia' from Greek 'nemesion' an ancient name for a snapdragon-like plant; 'denticulata' means small-toothed, for finely serrated leaf edges.

Uses & Fun Facts

  • Lavender-pink flowers release sweet vanilla scent on cool spring days
  • Snapdragon-like blooms attract bees and small butterflies
  • Compact mounding habit thrives in cool-season patio containers

Related plants

More Nemesia plants

Plants with similar care

Frequently asked questions

How often should I water Tooth Lionface?

In summer, water about every 3 days; in winter, about every 7 days. Adjust for heat, pot size and drainage.

How much light does Tooth Lionface need?

Full sun: 6+ hrs direct. Watch the leaves — scorching or stretching means the light needs adjusting.

Is Tooth Lionface toxic to cats or dogs?

Pets Unknown (Dogs Unknown · Cats Unknown) Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.

Is Tooth Lionface easy to grow?

It is moderately demanding: a good choice once you have a little experience.

When does Tooth Lionface bloom?

It typically blooms Mar–Aug in the Northern Hemisphere.

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