Acanthus, Bear's Breeches, Variegated Acanthus 'Whitewater'

The plant has been a delightful performer, potted and in a mostly shaded area of my front porch. This is its third year in this location...Read More, and the plant is larger and more vigorous each year. I have not moved the plant during either of its winters here, and it has survived just fine, although I will mention that both of these winters have been on the mild side.

The variegation is very attractive, as are the tall flower bracts. Some of the leaves are pure white.

I was wondering what the difference was between this cultivar and Acanthus mollis TASMANIAN ANGEL®.since visually to me they are so simi...Read Morelar. I found this information from this website:
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Botanical denomination: Acanthus spp.

Variety designation: ‘Whitewater’.

Parentage: AcanthusבSummer Beauty’×Acanthus mollis TASMANIAN ANGEL®.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Acanthus, given the name, ‘Whitewater’. Acanthus is in the family Acanthaceae. This new variety originated from a planned cross between AcanthusבSummer Beauty’ (an unpatented plant) as the seed parent and Acanthus mollis TASMANIAN ANGEL® (an unpatented plant) as the pollen parent. Compared to the seed parent, AcanthusבSummer Beauty’, the new cultivar has variegated leaves and pink tinted flowers and bracts rather than unvariegated leaves and white flowers with purple bracts. Compared to the pollen parent, Acanthus mollis TASMANIAN ANGEL® the new cultivar has a much more vigor, longer leaves, and taller flowers. Grown side by side under the same conditions Acanthus ‘Whitewater’ at 18 months from tissue culture will have double the plant spread and taller flower spikes than Acanthus mollis TASMANIAN ANGEL®. Two-year-old plants of Acanthus ‘Whitewater’ will not go fully dormant overwinter in Canby, Oreg. and will be of larger size than Acanthus mollis TASMANIAN ANGEL®.

While Acanthus mollis TASMANIAN ANGEL® is a very nice variegated plant, it does not have very much vigor. It often fails to return after one winter when grown outside. In USDA zone 8 it fails to thrive. AcanthusבSummer Beauty’ has very good hardiness and heat tolerance and grows as well in the southern US as in Oregon. This new Acanthus has the good characteristics of both parents and it is distinct in its combination of variegated leaves and excellent vigor.

The new variety has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (division and micropropagation), using the normal organ method where tip and lateral buds are cultured. Each of the progeny exhibits identical characteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by division and micropropagation as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.

I have attempted to grow this plant several times over the past few years. It has been my experience that it struggles to come back each ...Read Moreyear and gradually gets smaller and then eventually
dies off. I have had luck with other acanthus species but this one is more difficult I have found.

Got one this spring looking great so far.