Acanthus mollis sends its spiky flowers up this month. When not in flower, it is a very nondescript plant: the leaves, when they come out of the ground, might easily be mistaken for dandelion leaves and be torn out by some ignorant gardener. Luckily the roots are thick rhizomes and cannot easily be destroyed. If you move this plant, the old plant will usually come back in the old place from left over root fragments like a true weed. But with flowers, it is an architectural, ornamental, very elegant, classical plant, and the tall bicolor flowers leave a strong impression.
Its leaves have supposedly been inspiration for the capitals of the corinthian columns ... not quite, maybe a different or older species. Its English name is "Bear's breeches" - I have no idea why and couldn't find any explanation on google.
In German, it is "Wahrer Bärenklau" meaning "bear's foot" - not to be confused with the rather toxic and non related "Gemeiner Bärenklau" (Heracleum spec.) plant.
There is another species Acanthus spinosus, very similar, but with spiny leaves and flowers.
Its leaves have supposedly been inspiration for the capitals of the corinthian columns ... not quite, maybe a different or older species. Its English name is "Bear's breeches" - I have no idea why and couldn't find any explanation on google.
In German, it is "Wahrer Bärenklau" meaning "bear's foot" - not to be confused with the rather toxic and non related "Gemeiner Bärenklau" (Heracleum spec.) plant.
There is another species Acanthus spinosus, very similar, but with spiny leaves and flowers.
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