Hi. Just for interest does anyone grow any of the Acanthus varieties and if so how do you find them ??
I grow the common Bear's breeches/Acanthus Mollis Syd. It blooms every two years and has upright, purple and white flower spikes which increase in number every time it's ready to burst in bloom. Very hardy (has to be as I live in Scotland!!) and appears to be pest free. It was given to me by a friend a few years ago and has more than tripled in size. Sadly this year it won't be producing flowers or I would have taken photographs of it for you to see.
I grow one for my bride. I personally do not like them and have tried to get rid of the original plant for the past 11 years, but it just keeps coming back. Finally I decided to just leave it because my partner just kept saying how much she liked it. I feel that I have to warn you to take off the bloom stalks after it has finished blooming , for the acanthus will invade, given the chance...and the roots can be very stubborn to remove. I do not know which one I have. It was in the lottie when we took it over donkey's ears ago.
Hi Eileen - Sjoerd. Thanks for your comments. I posted this mainly for comparison purposes - I have grown mollis, mollis latifolius and the common spinosus for a number of years in last two gardens and wanted to see how they behaved with other folk. With me they were both as you describe yours and did once established get about quite a lot - mollis being the worst spreader of the two. I had planted them fortunately where their activities did not matter and have to say that they did make most impressive displays of both foliage and flowers - some of the leaves must have been 10 inches or a little more across - became aware also of the very sharp spike on each flower. With me both grew in very dry conditions. In addition I did find in a nursery a gold leaved version of mollis and grow it now - the gold does turn more to green as the foliage ages - it does so far seem more "subdued" also but it is early days yet. In a large area where something striking needed and spread does not matter they would do a good job but as you stated once you have them you have them - difficult indeed to get rid of. Have you both read the history of spinosus (foliage) and how it is reckoned to have inspired the patterns on Greek etc columns - worth reading all about it. Have to say being a "leafy " person I do love to see a good variety of shapes/colours/forms planted so as to contrast well with each other - treating flowers as a bonus. A little aside whilst referring to large foliage - knowing of the large leaved Gunnera did you ever come across ( know of) the small/smaller foliaged ones - interesting plants. Nice to talk to you. Best wishes. Syd.
Hello again, Syd-- Oh, I see what you mean...comparison. Got it. My bride likes it exactly because of its foliage and the blooms on a stem. I have not read the literature that you mentioned, but I have spent time in Greece and taken note of the use of acanthus leaves on Corinthian capitals. The green foliage looks in real life, but so do they in marble. I have never seen the smaller varieties for sale here. This is an interesting thread.
Hi Sjoerd. I entirely agree with your good lady ref the foliage and the blooms - it is a really striking plant over all and standing where it can be fully seen very impressive.. I had spinosus growing under and round a Malus tree in a corner and mollis between mixed coloured and variegated foliage shrubs across the front road fence. For the largest and shiniest foliage I found mollis latifolius was best but all were great - the foliage of the two mollis was not as sharply cut as spinosus. As has been already said it is not a plant for all gardens due to size and spreading but where theres space great I found. I find this looking into the backgrounds and histories of plants entirely fascinating and for me it certainly adds much to the enjoyment of plants knowing something about them - makes a very good talking point as well. Over my many years of gardening ( my first own garden 1955) I have grown a wide range of plants and whilst certainly not a "plant snob" ( I love the standard ones as much as the more unusual) I did always go for as many unusual ones as possible and gave them a go. Kept a list of them all and even now with a much simpler plot I like to look back at this list and visualize them in my mind - guess I am a complete " plant nut". Would always be pleased to mention more of these unusual ones and tell of them if there is interest. I say again its nice to talk to you. Best wishes. Syd.
