It's hard not to love something that is named for ursine trousers. Well, for me, anyway. It's a shame that the reason that Acanthus Mollis is also known as bear's breeches is lost in the mists of time,
Anyway, mine offers another minor triumph for the garden this year. Back in May, my peony gave a single bloom after four years of waiting. The bear's breeches has been kinder. A friend gave me the plant three years ago. It merely offered leaves last year (and the year before). This year we have...
...a single flower spike.
Some people hate acanthus, and it can strike a funereal note. It tones rather well with the Rosa glauca in front of it, but together they are a bit gloomy, so I'm glad to have the rambling rose as part of the view from the house to lift it with a stronger pink.
It's so architectural, it seems perfectly natural that the plant should have inspired the decoration for Corinthian columns.The flower (more correctly, bracts), let's face it, could hardly be more columnar.
Actually it's not been much hardship not to have a flower until now as the glossy leaves make a lovely contrast, especially with the montbretia leaves at its side.
According to the Missouri Botanical Garden, plants can spread aggressively, especially in loose soils. I'm fairly confident that my rock-hard clay will keep it in check.
Next year, perhaps there'll be two flowers!
This post is my contribution to Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Pop over to May Dreams Gardens to see what else is flowering around the world.
...Landscape Juice Network
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