Bear's Breeches (acanthus mollis) - uh oh, full sun?

I was just reading on the thread about plants for full shade that Bear's Breeches doesn't do well in sun, and I'm hoping that's not the case!

I planted three last year in one of my front beds and it has been a total champ, filled in the whole area nicely, hasn't overtaken the gardenia next to it, didn't get a drop of water or a bit of love all winter and maintained its deep glossy green leaves. Its my new favorite! (Okay, it's my first favorite... haven't been a gardener very long). This bed is reasonably sunny, lots of morning sun and blazing late afternoon sun.

So I bought two yesterday when I found them at Lowe's (HD didn't have any) and I've also ordered three more from Park Landscapes (along with scores of other stuff that's supposed to be sun loving drought tolerant and cold tolerant). These are destined for the other front flower bed, the one that is in full sun all day long. (Actually the two I bought last night are already in the ground!!)

Do I need to worry about my wonderful favorite Bear's Breeches in full sun??

Attached pic is from last year when I planted; tomorrow I will take a picture of their lovely fullness!

Now you are tempting me as I have some other suitable spots. That is a pretty plant. You said you picked up a variety ~ other variations or more like what you are growing? What is your zone? I know these plants are popular with DGrs in Arkansas. I will have to do more research.

First saw this beautiful plant at the Dallas Arboretum in full bloom.
When I stumbled onto it last spring at HD I had to have it. Planted it near my deck. Did a little investigation after the fact and found that it can get as large as a VW bus. Not in a good place to I moved it. Also learned that it is extremely invasive and multplies like gang busters via the root system. I dug plants 3 more times from the original location. Cannot seem to get all the roots at one time. In the new location we put down Steel bedding material as deeply as possible in a circle trying to contain it to one area. Don't know if that will work. It is now beginning to fill the entire circle which is over 3 feet across. Sorry to be the bearer of possible bad news but feel you must know what I discovered too late. It is extremely large in one season and overly aggresive in spreading. I still think it is beautiful. Mine is in dappled shade. This might be your answer for your shade area, pod. I'm sure within a month I will have more than enough pups to share.

Christi

I am glad to hear your BB did so well. They are beautiful.I have only had it in a part shade bed that gets west afternoon sun. Heed the words of LouC when it comes to moving it. Here is a pic of BB growing where I dug it up beside a lenten rose.My variety is "Oak Leaf" Maybe yours is better behaved.

Well here's my Bear's Breeches now, filled out the whole right-hand section of my bed. It doesn't *seem* to be taking over yet, but maybe that's why my gardenia and split-leaf philodendrons directly to the left are looking puny??

I have no idea if the new ones I bought (2 from lowe's, 3 from Park Landcapes - link below) are well-behaved! On the one hand, I like the idea of something filling out my left-hand flower bed, it's just a patch of dry mulch right now with some puny monkey grass, one jasmine vine growing like wildfire, a texas sage plant that looks good right after I gave up on it and ignored it, one hibiscus tree, two camellias that haven't grown 2" in 1.5 years, and a pitiful plumbego that i'm hoping just needs some loving. There are HUGE patches of NOTHING in that bed and since I'm a sometime gardener b/c of my health, I like the idea of self-sustaining stuff that looks good in the winter. But maybe I got more than I bargained for!! Perhaps I'll plant them elsewhere in the back and let them soften up harsh areas of the backyard??

Hmmm... thanks everyone for all the replies; now I am questioning my 'gardening plan layout' I devised for the front flower bed, relying heavily on those Bear's Breeches.

Bear's Breeches I ordered, Acanthus mollis var. Latifolius
http://www.parkslandscapes.com/p47879/Bear's-Breeches---3%22-pot/product_info.html

Let us know how it works out.

I read you can plant in sun or shade, the only difference being in the south where they will go dormant during the summer if in full sun. I have some seedlings I just planted out in the shade, but I wonder if they will bloom there...I do hope so, that's why I planted them and I love your blooms.

I love this plant too, but don't have room for something so tenacious. Didn't know you could grow them in the sun. Do you think dormancy would help prevent them from turning into thugs?

Iwould suggest that you either visit or contact Dallas Arboretum. That is where I first saw them in bloom. Other than that, I knew nothing about them when I planted and subsequently learned their penchant for being extremely large.

LouC

if you live in a really hot, humid area, the best Acanthus to get (i think) is 'Summer Beauty'. it's a cross between mollis and another one (can't think offhand) and the best thing is is that it doesn't have all the prickles. mine are in semi-sun. they do alright in sun as long as they get enough water, i believe.

Since I purchased at HD as usual, I have no idea what they are. I can tell you for sure, it is best to wear thick gloves when handling the spent bloom. Very prickly...more like downright stickers.

C.

if it has stickers, it's mollis.

Thank you, trackinsand. Only recently have I realized how important it is to know one plant from another.

Christi

Hi Trackin ~ glad to see you over here. I hope all is well in FL.

Am also glad to hear the Acanthus mollis has stickers. That convinces me I don't want to grow it!. I have a thorn aversion!

pod, get the Summer Beauty. no stickers and gets huge and beautiful. it's a very cool plant. my sister grows it in missouri and i've seen them down here in central florida too. mine are young ones but they should be huge by the end of this season (with any luck)! lol

Summer Beauty ~ sounds wonderful just by name. I will check into it. Does is grow very large for your sister? When you say "huge", I wonder?? 8 )

i have to amend my info from above. spinosus is the spiny one, not mollis. Summer Beauty is a cross between the two. a lapse in memory there-sorry! i should have looked it up before i spouted off! lol

the actual plant is only supposed to be about 4' x 4' but the bloom stalks get considerably larger, 6' or more.

I am observing when it comes up for this spring, it is already putting off pups all around it. Where I have it located now that is fine. However, it is also coming back in the same spot I removed it twice before. Cannot get all the roots out.

Christi

I traded for mine years ago, and it has never multiplied. It is in mostly sun, with only a few hour break. It is a real water hog in mid-summer, but worth it if you want those late summer blooms.

Mine isn't spikey, either. I was told it was acanthus mollis. I've seen other acanthus at the nurseries around here, but they look different than mine...narrower leaves. Mine are broad.

I think yours will do great in sun, just water more.

beautiful photo, seedpicker!

Thank you :0)

Anyone coming to the Waxahachie RU in April? I will be taking some pups to give away.

Christi

Arcanthus Molis is definitely not a sun plant maybe dappled sun. I moved it three times and every time it came up again ... still waiting for it to flower.
Wombat you sure are brave, planting it on top of that Liriope! Both of those are invasive as all out! The only way I got rid of Liriope was to move! lol

I got a gallon size plant last fall of cultivar "Oak leaf" acanthus, and while planting it in the ground, a couple a small pieces of root broke off. These were about an inch or two in lenght, I just stuck them in a couple of containers, and they have leafed out this spring. Given this, I rethinking my planting it on the ground.

xman

Mine took about three years to bloom...maybe four. After about two, it tried to send up a stalk, but then weather got really hot, it got dry, and the stalk turned brown. I guess it took a while to acclimate, because it was given to me by someone in another state.

I think maybe mine has never made pups, because it just does not get enough water. I don't have a sprinkler system(just me), and it takes a lot of water to make those big leaves happy.

Maybe with a lot if water they'd be a pest, but mine only get rainfall, and a tiny bit of supplemental water in August.

My monkey grass doesn't escape, either...?

Lou, I will be at the Wax. swap and would love to have some BB. I have a lot of space it can spread in. I haven't gotten my list up yet hope to soon, but I will have some items with me to trade for it.
Sheila_FW

Took this picture yesterday.
Put you down for a start, Sheila. I don't have a list either and probably won't make one. A great deal of my garden is new. Probably by fall I will have more to share. I just so enjoy the visiting I wouldn't miss if at all possible.

Christi

Thanks Lou!

Sheila you should have got yourself a piece over there on Fairmont. ;) Where have you been my friend? I am sure going to miss you at the CSRU!

Thanks Sylvia, I will see you at the Wax. one on the 19th though. As for the BB, we were a bit busy and also I had no clue what you had in that yard, it was a mass of plants and people as we were digging and moving! LOL!

LOL! I will never forget that.

LouC - if you ahve a baby to offer would not mind one myself to take with me.

Sylvia - Have fun, a lot of us were going before the date was moved close the the one up here - funny thing we set the date here to be a long time after the one up there to give people time to do both! Best laid plans...

Whatever Mitch! lol I got more roundups to attend and I am going to make everyone. I am even going to Iowa the first of May and supposedly Nashville the end of may. I hope my pocket book hold up!

You are our hero for making them all!

Sylvia, You are my hero.

Christi

I grew Acanthus in my garden in Oakland, CA. It can become a monster, and every bit of root left in the ground will produce new plants, so digging it up is only going to multiply it.

That said, it's gorgeous in the right place.

My plants went dormant in the summer if I didn't water them. They always came back lush and green once the rains commenced in the fall, and in California, they stayed green all winter. With copious water and food, mine bloomed the first year on. I have some here in my Dallas garden, but I have them in large (10 gallon) grower's pots. I won't risk planting them in the ground in my tiny suburban garden.

if I had an acre, I'd plant a big patch in a raised bed.

Yes I think water is the key! Its spreading like crazy back there where the water is leaking!

Did you get your leak repaired yet?

Sheila this system need daily maintainers ... the water runs over to the neighbors place ........ and all down the back alley....

Sounds like if it is your tubing system, one or more of your hoses have lost the emitters. You may need to replace a section that has too many or something. Water isn't cheap.