What a beautiful photo, Evan!!

Yes, I definitely think I'll be contacting you next Spring, Evan, for some pieces.

Sounds good.

She definitely adds class to the forum!

Tell your mom that small things come in good packages.

Sheryl, I'll be sure to do that.

MOBOT says both spinosus and hungaricus are "...Not reliably winter hardy throughout USDA Zone 5 where a winter mulch is advisable..." I'll have to try one or the other. A little mulch is no biggy, and invasiveness should not be a problem.

Yeah, I've got my fingers kind of crossed on this one. We seem to vacillate between zone 6b and zone 7a, depending on the year. But I've got it planted right up against my brick house, so....there's hope!

My Acanthus mollis has turned out to be Acanthus spinosus, which bloomed this year for the first time, so patience is definitely required here. And, BTW, it came from the nursery mislabeled, as so many things do! I now have to acquire A. mollis to add to A. spinosus of which I will try to capture seeds next year for sharing.

Mmm - did you mention it to the nursery? I'd demand that they find me an A. mollis, just because.

But seriously, unless you really like the leaves on the mollis, I don't think the blooms are too much different.

Thanks, Sheryl. Don't even remember now where I bought it. I think I bought it from a nursery in Asheville because it is a division of one I have growing there that has never bloomed, not even this year. I may well have purchased it at the herb festival at the Farmer's Market some years ago as well, so I'll just have to live with it. It's a lovely plant, but spiny is the key word here!

- of course, I just have roots and a few leaves flat to the ground, at this point.

We have one and it took 2 years to bloom after transplanting from old house.

Any tips on taking root cuttings? If the root end breaks off does that root die?

Glad I happened onto this thread. I've had A. mollis for I think 3 or perhaps 4 years with no blooms. I moved it once thinking it just didn't like the spot, but didn't get it all so now have it in two spots. No blooms either place. I often think I've lost it because it emerges very late for me, then kind of takes off in late summer. I'll consider it a foliage plant until I get blooms and enjoy it for that.

Where/how does it become invasive? I'm sure not seeing any signs of it spreading on its own.

I found the invasive info. a while back, I think it's a problem in the San Francisco bay area but will check a bit. Here's the MOBOT report on A. mollis.

Late spring frosts can impair or eliminate flowering for the year.

I planted A. spinosus in hope's of seeing flowers.

Hey, all! Long time since I visited here. I haven't had a problem with A. mollis becoming invasive (at least not yet) and mine has been in the ground for about 7 years. I do like it very much and it
is so striking when in bloom. I'll come back in a couple of years or so and let you know if it's become a problem child.

Thanks for the report, Angie. Swing by anytime.

Eclayne: I can't help you on the rooting question you posed. Perhaps someone else can.

Thanks Angie, I've worked thru the root cuttings questions. Deb, I haven't found anything definitive that talks about it spreading other than vegetatively. Not a problem here with nature's root pruning.

I'm no longer in the home where I planted mine.... (Tennessee) but I should ask if there were any sprouts left. I dug them up in fear of adding yet one more invasive plant to that area- full woods, but tons of non-native invasives.

USDA naturalized in San Mateo county, z10a. Not listed in California Invasive Plant Inventory Database.
Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health only lists as invasive by the Native Plant Society of Oregon, Lane county (z8, metro Eugene) which categorizes on SUSPECTED / WATCH LIST.

This is what I've found from reliable sites.