Bear’s Breech was a striking, hardy perennial beloved by ancient Greeks and Romans, who used its leaf form, Acanthus mollis, to decorate Corinthian columns.
Growing Today: Acanthus caroli-alexandri with white or pink blooms that bloom from July until September.
Acanthus longifolius can grow to 3-4 feet with purple flowers appearing during June. Acanthus mollis is one of the best-known species with white, pink or mauve flowers with bold 2 foot long leaves; various latifolius varieties also produce white blooms while Acanthus nigrum boasts glossy spineless leaves adorned with lilac-white blooms.
Acanthus spinosus, 4 feet high with sharp, deeply divided leaves and purple, green and white blooms between July and August is an attractive plant with four feet high prickly deep divided leaves that produce colorful purple, green and white flowers in July-August.
Where to Plant and Grow Bear’s Breech
Acanthus are ideal specimen plants where their form and character can be appreciated, standing erect without support from either root cuttings or stems. With sturdy roots they can withstand drought as well as wind. Young plants produce foliage which is less pointed and jagged compared to that of mature ones; cuttings taken from young plants produce plants with less jagged leaf shapes than the original parent plant.
Grow them in well-drained loam in full sunlight; seed sowing can take place either during spring, root cuttings in winter or spring, or division in autumn and spring. To propagate them further, propagate by seed sown with gentle heat in spring or root cuttings taken during winter/spring or division at any point throughout their lifecycle.
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