Acanthus Species, Armed Bear's Breeches, Spiny Bear's Breeches, Oyster Plant

A superb garden perennial that deserves to be better known and more often grown. If it didn't bloom, it would be worth growing for the gl...Read Moreossy, statuesque foliage alone.

The flower stems are showy and look good in arrangements. Though the white petals fade quickly, the showy green-and-purple bracts stand up well in the garden for months. They also dry well.

It's only the flower stems and bracts that have sharp spines. The spiny-looking projections on the leaves are soft. Acanthus spinosus var. spinosissimus (AKA Acanthus spinosissimus, Acanthus 'Spinosissimus') is spiny as a porcupine. It helps, when shopping, to remember that "spinosus" means "spiny", but "spinosissimus" means "spiniest". It also helps to check out the tips of the leaves, gently.

This is at least a zone hardier than A. mollis, perhaps two. Near the northern limit of its hardiness, exceptionally cold winters may destroy the year's flower buds, but generally don't affect the foliage. A. hungaricus seems to be about half a zone hardier than A. spinosus, but I don't find its foliage to be quite as handsome---it's certainly not as lustrous.

This is the last plant to go in the fall. The leaves are unaffected by the first frosts and look good well after the rest of the perennial border is gone.

In the spring, this plant is among the last to emerge from dormancy. That makes it a good candidate for underplanting with spring bulbs.

Does well in full sun or part shade. It's more shade tolerant than generally admitted.

This transplants reliably (though not without grumbling) in earliest spring, while still dormant. It will take a year or more to re-establish, and until it does, it will need more consistent moisture. It also re-grows reliably from root cuttings, so it always reappears after being dug out. If you want to eradicate a clump, use herbicide. If you want more plants, stick a spade into the ground beside it to cut some roots.

In southeastern North America, Acanthus can be aggressive in the border. I haven't found that to be the case here in Boston Z6a.

Absolutely beautiful, unique plant. The flowers are a very pretty dusky purple with white. This plant has survived extremely cold winters...Read More here with no problem. I've been told this is a shade plant but I have three of them in full sun in different parts of my yard and I've never had any problems with them. The only it hates is being moved. It wilts almost immediately upon being taken out of the ground and will appear dead until the following spring. Once I moved mine it took two years before it bloomed again. It is definitely a 'showcase' plant as it will be the center of attention once it blooms!

It's taken several years but now my plant has produced it's first bloom. Very different plant, it has survived some very cold winters (-20F)

I was given several starts of this plant 2 years ago and told that it was A.'Mollis'. Of course I found out that it is actually A. 'spin...Read Moreosus'. Neither type of Acanthus, according to plant guide I have, can grow in our zone, however, it grows here fine and at several friends' homes as well. I had my first bloom this July.

Ours is planted in our shade garden under white pines. The shelter keeps this area a little warmer in winter and may be the reason it survives for us here. According to an encylcopedia of plants the zone for this type (and A.'mollis' as well), is zone 7-10. Of course, because of the spines, this plant and it's blooms are quite deer resistant!

Blooms can be dried by hanging upside down and keep quite well for a year or so. Cut at the height of flowering for best results. Be careful when handling because of the spines!