Bear's Breeches (Acanthus spinosus)

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Herb/Forb
Life cycle:	Perennial
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun to Partial Shade
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 5b -26.1 °C (-15 °F) to -23.3 °C (-10 °F)
Plant Height:	3 to 4 feet
Plant Spread:	2 to 3 feet
Leaves:	Unusual foliage color Other: 2 to 3 feet long with spines at lobe tips.
Flowers:	Showy
Flower Color:	Bi-Color: Reddish purple and white
Flower Time:	Late spring or early summer Summer
Propagation: Other methods:	Cuttings: Root
Awards and Recognitions:	RHS AGM Other: 2006 Great Plant Picks Award Winner

Common names

Bear's Breeches
Spiny Bear's Breeches
Oyster Plant
Armed Bear's Breeches

Botanical names

Accepted: Acanthus spinosus
Synonym: Acanthus spinosissimus
Synonym: Acanthus caroli-alexandri

Photo Gallery

Location: Oxfordshire, England
Date: 2019-07-13

Uploaded by cliftoncat

Uploaded by Lucichar

Uploaded by ge1836

Location: Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam
Date: 2013-08-09

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: Clinton, Michigan 49236
Date: 2024-07-12
Acanthus spinosus 24w28 10yo Bear's Breeches V3 (southern Europe

Uploaded by frankrichards16

Location: Oxfordshire, England
Date: 27 June 2016

Uploaded by cliftoncat

Uploaded by Char

Location: Elizabeth Lawrence Garden at Wing Haven, Charlotte, NC
Date: 2022-06-23

Uploaded by LoriMT

Uploaded by Char

Location: Poland
Date: 2022-06-13
I can't wait to see the flowers :)

Uploaded by Kanna

Location: Lucketts, Loudoun County, Virginia
Date: 2011-06-27

Uploaded by greenthumb99

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Uploaded by frankrichards16

Location: Oxfordshire, England
Date: 2016-07-18

Uploaded by cliftoncat

Uploaded by Char

Location: Clinton, Michigan 49236
Date: 2018-06-24
"Acanthus spinosus, 2018 photo, Bear's Breeches, , USDA Hardiness

Uploaded by frankrichards16

Uploaded by LoriMT

Location: Sandhills Horticultural Gardens Pinehurst, NC
Date: July 2, 2024
Bears breaches, Acanthus spinosus # 288 nn; LHB page 916, 185-1,

Uploaded by WebTucker

Uploaded by WebTucker

Uploaded by WebTucker

Location: Crete - Mili Gorge
Date: 2022-05-29

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Uploaded by Char

Location: Zone 5b, Chicago suburbs
Date: June 11, 2021

Uploaded by BeautifulRoots

Location: Zone 5b, Chicago suburbs
Date: May 11, 2021

Uploaded by BeautifulRoots

Uploaded by vic

Location: Botanical garden UG, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2015-07-10

Uploaded by bonitin

Uploaded by ge1836

Location: Clinton, Michigan 49236
Date: 2017-10-27
"Acanthus spinosus, 2017, [Bear's Breeches], uh-KAN-thus spin-OH-

Uploaded by frankrichards16

Uploaded by frankrichards16

Uploaded by Char

Location: my front yard
Date: 2015-06-17

Uploaded by doglover

Uploaded by vic

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: San Francisco Botanical Garden.
Date: June 2005
photo by Stan Shebs

Uploaded by robertduval14

Location: San Francisco Botanical Garden
Date: April 3, 2006
photo by Stan Shebs

Uploaded by robertduval14

Uploaded by vic

Location: Kannapolis, NC
Date: 2012-05-15
Finally getting blooms!

Uploaded by Hemophobic

Location: RHS Harlow Carr, Yorkshire, UK
Date: 2019-05-04

Uploaded by kniphofia

Uploaded by ge1836

Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2015-05-30

Uploaded by plantrob

Uploaded by Char

Uploaded by frankrichards16

Photo Courtesy of Lazy S'S Farm Nursery.

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by doglover

Uploaded by vic

Location: Cambridge University Botanic Garden
Date: July
credit: Magnus Manske

Uploaded by robertduval14

Location: my front yard
Date: 2015-06-11

Uploaded by doglover

Uploaded by doglover

Location: Crete - Mili Gorge
Date: 2022-05-29
In it's natural habitat

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Comments:

Posted by Marilyn (Kentucky - Zone 6a) on May 25, 2013 6:08 AM concerning plant:

"Acanthus spinosus (spiny bear's breeches) is a species of flowering plant in the family Acanthaceae, native to southern Europe, from Italy to western Turkey. It is an herbaceous perennial growing to 150 cm (59 in) tall by 60–90 cm (24–35 in) wide. The deeply cut leaves have spiny margins, and in early summer it bears erect, 1 m (3 ft) long racemes of white flowers with maroon bracts.

It is thought that both A. spinosus and its close relative A. mollis were introduced to Britain as ornamental and herbal plants from the Mediterranean in Roman times. It has been intermittently cultivated ever since, and is now a regular feature of the herbaceous border. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit."

Taken from wikipedia's page at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A...

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WebTucker	On July 2, 2024	Bloomed

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Discussion Threads about this plant

Thread Title	Last Reply	Replies
Bear's Breeches...up close and personal! by wcgypsy	Apr 23, 2012 11:53 AM	0
Acanthus spinosus vs. A. mollis. by eclayne	Aug 17, 2015 1:49 PM	6

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Acanthus Bear's Breeches (Acanthus spinosus)

Acanthus
Bear's Breeches (Acanthus spinosus)