For such an elegant plant in flower, its common name of bear's breeches seems less than suitable. But this rather fanciful name has the merit of being easy to remember. The botanical name of acanthus ...

Understanding the Context

This has been a particularly good year for acanthus. The flower spikes have been tremendous, both in quantity and quality, with some in my own garden reaching as high as 8ft tall. These spikes have ... The statuesque Acanthus spinosus makes one of the finest silhouettes in the winter garden.

Key Insights

Sturdy stems carry a whorl of 30 or so flowers, each capable of producing a shiny, rich-brown, elliptical ... Daily Hampshire Gazette: Get Growing with Mickey Rathbun: A plant that’s sure to turn heads: Acanthus plants inspired classical Greek architecture Acanthus spinosus. Acanthus is native to the Mediterranean area. It takes its name from the Greek word akantha, which means spike or thorn. Greek myth has it that the god Apollo was besotted with a ...

Final Thoughts

Get Growing with Mickey Rathbun: A plant that’s sure to turn heads: Acanthus plants inspired classical Greek architecture Independent.ie: The immortal acanthus will make a majestic statement in your border Each year Acanthus mollis returns to gardens in Redlands. In fact, their familiar leaves are already popping up in some yards. Acanthus mollis, commonly called bear’s breeches, is one of the great ...