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

Wow! Acanthus info!! You guys are awesome!

So far the acanthus from HD (supposably acanthus mollis,and it is spiky) is doing well in the full sun but DRINKS in the water, which was of course the exact opposite of what I'm going for. If you don't water it and it's been hot it literally lays over on the ground. It'll perk upright within an hour or two of watering.

Oh, I'm such a pup when it comes to gardening... Silvia, I had no idea liriope was invasive, too! That's one of the things that was there in that bed when we moved here. And it looks so nice and leaves such a nice edge with the lawn that, well, I went to HD again earlier this week and got 19 liriope for a border around the OTHER new bed. Of course it only goes halfway around... the other half is just a bare trench waiting for ... well, was planning on about 19 more liriope to finish it out!! Hahaha... overgrown is better than undergrown or pure dirt, I suppose!!

Well, my summerwine ninebark just arrived from Park's Landscapes along with New Zealand sedge grass / orange sedge. Gonna go put those in the ground.

It's a grand adventure!!! I fully expect to make lots of mistakes along the way...

Here's a pic of the bed **in progress** -- jasmine going crazy on the right (that was planted last year), either lavender or texas sage on the right front (can't remember!), brand-new evergreen wisteria by the porch, along with clematis and a tiny carolina jessamine that's supposed to come up and wind around that new "found art" frame/easel thing we just got. Camellias to the left of the easel were very yellow and now much better with ironite (Late Gramma's favorite flower so I really want those to do well). Hibiscus starting to bud out on the left there, in front of two new sweet olive trees I put in there but not sure how they're going to do, and then of course those new acanthus in that full-sun bed. A few other jasmine just put in here and there to create that general chaotic / overgrown / victorian kinda thing. Oh and that pitiful yellow thing is a plumbego, which grows great around here but mine isn't so happy.

Still on order from Park Landscapes:
caryopteris
"ice plant"
switchgrass
wild indigo

too much?

Too much? NEVER! Go for it...

The wilting on the Acanthus rips it for me. After a few drier summers, I am leaning toward less water dependent plants.

Liriope doesn't seem to be that invasive for me, but it is a thug. If it is growing where you don't want it, it is a bear to move. You can't get all of the pieces out.

Sheila, I did all that and I check often and I make adjustments often .... the code enforcement guy told me i was on higher ground than the people next door and that why it floods next door. Anyway I run it 15 minutes instead of 1hour and a half! lol

hi...
the acanthus thats here is in full sun becasue we dont get so hot!! yours may do a bit better if its in a dappled sun. they can get a bit obnoxious in growth so give it room. our area has some huge ones with beautiful blooms! good luck

Ahhh my Acanthus is spreading like wildfire, it has an entire corner to it self and a busted emitter to boot!

Old thread, updated picture. Check out that bear's breeches in full bloom! Going to look outstanding with that Hibiscus tree right behind it which is COVERED in tight happy little buds.

Since last picture (further up in thread), have added:
• Summerwine ninebark
• New Zealand Sedge grass
• Caryopteris longwood blue
• northwind switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
• Baptisia Carolina moonlight (Wild Indigo)
• lavandula light pink “nina light pink”
• stonecrop sedum vera jameson
• Salvia far x long mystic spires blue
• Prunella grandiflora blue loveliness
• Delphinium guardian mix
• Sedum stonecrop “weihenstephaner gold”
• Sedum Chinese Sedum ‘Coral Reef’
• Ice plant “mesa verde”
• Table Mountain Ice Plant ‘john proffitt’
• Iceplant Purple Delosperma
• Lithodora ‘grace ward’
• Coreopsis “sunny day”
• Shasta daisy ‘snowcap’
• Coral bells ‘harvest silver’

The big stars so far are the Sedum stonecrop “weihenstephaner gold” -- COVERED in gold star flowers, the sedum "Vera Jameson", the bees LOVE this stuff, and the Mystic Spires Blue Salvia. The coreopsis are REALLY happy too.

Now I just need to learn PATIENCE as it all FILLS IN!!

Ohhhh!! Your bed is looking great!! That is a lot to have in the bed with that Bear's Britches from what others are saying it does. Keep it in check and don't let it become a bully, all the plants are looking so nice!!
I got a start of BB at the Wax. swap and can't wait for it to bloom.

How lucky WF, that bloom is stunning. Is it blooming right now? Let us know how the blooms last, please:0)

This is the momma and your baby bear on the 11th of this month. It is twice the size now. More babies just popping up.

Christi

It is holding it's own now Christi, and enjoyed the rain last night and this morning. I have high hopes, thanks!

Be sure you have the roots captured. The place I originally planted it still has pups coming up. That area is way too small for a volkswagen. hahahah

Christi

If it doesn't make it, I have plenty more.

LouC ~ when you say that, I have this visual image of an upturned VW being used as a planter for these guys ~ LOL

Could be, Kristi. Someone here on DG used that expression when I first announced that I had a Bear's Beeches. Immediately moved it. It has come back 3 times from the original planting spot. Am told that it is near to impossible get all of the roots. So far, that has been my experience. Would you like to have a start?

Christi

I had better pass. Had two VWs in years past and DH says no more! LOL Thanks much!

This message was edited Apr 27, 2008 10:17 PM

hahahahaha. Me, too. 1959 VW was my very first car.

1959 A classic! My first was a used 64 beater and my last a 70s vintage baja. That one left a BAD taste in DHs mouth. No more. I even found a 69 Porsche that I was lusting after and I resisted temptation as I could hear my husband saying it's just a glorified VW! LOL

Sorry to get off topic ~ WombatFamily. Your BB blooms really are lovely.

yeah, me too.

Thanks all! Yes, I am scared now about them being bullies... my gardenia in the other bed that's right next to my BBs is really looking rather sickly and the split-leafed philodendron, which is about 4 feet away from them at least, now has at least one really awful totally yellow leaf. Hmmph. We'll just see how it goes. Maybe I'll plant some metal edging in there in my new bed. Or I'll have my own little green-leaf'ed VW running over all my other plants!!!

Mine is getting larger ... but no flowers

Mine was blooming when I bought it. Hasn't bloomed again I think because I moved it and it also went underground during the cold weather. Thinking it will bloom this summer when we have the really hot weather. Thanks again for the hostas, Sylvia.

Christi--

. This is the first time it has bloomed in 4 years (since being moved 3 times...despite all the good advice, that even I have given..)Will let you know how much I may regret this.

I move mine twice before I moved into this house. Its been in its present location, maybe a year and a half. I think its going to be worth the wait. ;)

I have some Turk's Cap near by, so if it looks too scruffy in the summer, I will cut it back and let it hide. I hope you get a bloom, but even without one, those leaves make a statement!

I bet it will be eating your hostas by summer Sylvia!

Probably! LOL
Hey you guys, I am on my way to Cedar Rapids for the Iowa Round Up!
See you Sunday!

OMG!!! Are you serious?? You must have relatives up there. Are you flying? (prob.dumb ques.)

Now that is true dedication.

Christi

Beautiful plant -- I just bought one yesterday and it is huge with several new buds ready to bloom. I never knew they were invasive but bought it to go in a large planter anyway so that won't be a problem. No one else has mentioned growing them in containers so any opinions on that?

Probably the best solution to it being invasive. It spreads by the roots. Just make sure it is very, very large and sturdy.

Thanks, it is huge. :-)

I just discovered a shoot on my Bears Breeches today! I am so excited cant wait to show you guys!
I had a blast in Cedar Rapids! A lot of my Hosta buddies was there. I came back with so many plants and prizes. I also bought lots of Hostas ... so many Jeff is mailing them to me! SteveFtworth was there too. I think he got a lot of Hostas too and he is a Peony grower. These guys Round ups last two days! I was so tired when I got home, I haven't been to work for two days. lol
Trunnels where did you find one with blooms? I hope you got a pot that will hold a tree! lol Maybe thats a good thing you don't have to worry about it going everywhere. I have mine back there with my Hostas, I sure hope they dont compete with each other for water ... because the both of them demand a lot of water.
... and yes Sheila I flew ... and no I dont have any family there. I do now though. lol

I can't believe you just took off to parts unknown like that!! Way to go girl, I am proud of you! I hope you took lots of pictures to share. I hope you told Steve (FW) that he needs to participate with those of us locally this year.
As for the BB, it scares me that you have it in the ground near your hostas. I saw a full grown one at Archie's Nursery. It is in front of their building to the left of the doorway. Georgeous plant but it was almost 6 foot and the size of a Volkswagon!!! Read the 5 negative comments that are attached to the PF entries, especially Palmbob's about the roots it leaves behind! If it was me I would move it out to the front near that stump you have and let it have all the room it wants. The PF says it is drought tolerant, so it doesn't need all the water your hosta's get.
Glad to know you made it home safe. Now......how about visiting me since I am only in FW!!!??

aawww Sheila you sound like I drove Ruby to Iowa. lol I dont think I should move that plant anymore, if I did it would be coming up everywhere. I cant put it out front ... its too much sun It might be drought tolerant but it does not perform in a lot of sun. I had this one for five years and its the first time it didnt just lay there.
Sheila you need to look at the pictures in Iowa round up threads, I was too cold to be taking any picture. lol

I can assure you from personal experience if you move it there will be roots left behind and you will have it in more than one place. I have dug out the roots from the original spot 3 times now and it keeps coming back. Think Sheila was the one that warned me in the first place and I really appreciate it. Now have it surrounded by metal plating deep in the ground. aaahhhh raining again.

Christi

Mine are blooming now.

I don't know why it cropped my picture before?

Siggy ~ it doesn't crop it when you open it up... looked great from here!

Sylvia, I got it at Calloway's. It is in a 3 or 5 gallon bucket. I have another one in a bed by itself. It has been there for about 6 years now and has never bloomed. I had been thinking of digging it up and moving it but after all of the scary things I'm hearing, I will just leave it alone!
Terrie

Not meant to scare, Terrie. Just inform. I appreciated being told of its possible size because my first choice of sites was not appropriate for it.

Christi