General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Partial or Dappled Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Dry Mesic
Dry
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 7a -17.8 °C (0 °F) to -15 °C (5 °F)
Plant Height: 3 to 5 feet
Plant Spread: 3 to 6 feet
Leaves: Unusual foliage color
Deciduous
Flowers: Showy
Flower Color: Bi-Color: white flowers with purple bracts
Other: white sometimes pink
Flower Time: Late spring or early summer
Summer
Uses: Will Naturalize
Resistances: Deer Resistant
Propagation: Seeds: Needs specific temperature: 50-55*F
Days to germinate: 10-21
Start indoors
Can handle transplanting
Other info: Propagate during spring
Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Root
Division
Other: Propagate in fall for root propagation
Pollinators: Bees
Containers: Needs excellent drainage in pots
Awards and Recognitions: RHS AGM

Image
Common names
  • Bear's Breeches
  • Grecian Pattern Plant

Photo Gallery
Location: Conservatory, Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor
Date: 2018-05-20
Acanthaceae:  Acanthus mollis - A pair of green and pinkish purpl
Location: near pond
Date: 2015-08-16
Bears Breech
Location: My garden in N E Pa. 
Date: 2020-06-27
Location: Austin ,TX
Date: 2013-06-02
Location: Invercargill, New Zealand
Date: 2024-01-14
Location: Botanical Garden of Barcelona
Date: 2019-04-22
Location: Botanical Garden of Barcelona
Date: 2017-04-24
Location: Botanical Garden of Barcelona
Date: 2017-04-24
Location: Terrell Park
Date: 2014-04-26
Location: Private collection
Date: 2017-04-24
Location: The Netherlands, Heerde
Date: 2014-07-08
at the front Papaver rhoeas Mother of Pearl (poppy)
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2015-06-26
Location: Seville, Spain | April, 2023
Date: 2023-04-05
Location: National Garden Athens (Greece)
Location: National Garden Athens (Greece)
Location: z5 MA, my garden
Date: 2010-10-15
2nd year from 1 gal. pot.
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Date: 2008-06-04
Acanthus (Bear Breeches
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Date: 2021-07-28
Location: Botanical Garden of Barcelona
Date: 2019-04-22
Location: Private collection
Date: 2015-03-25
Location: home garden VA
Date: 2021-07-13
Location: Bea’s garden
Date: 2021
Location: National Garden Athens (Greece)
Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: 2006-07-26
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Alnwick Garden, Northumberland, UK
Date: 2015-07-29
Location: Menton, France
Date: 2016-03-29
Location: Ponta do Pargo - Madeira
Date: 2023-04-23
Location: At the Winchester House Gardens - San Jose, CA
Date: 2012-06-02
Acanthus Mollis grown on the Winchester Gardens
Location: Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI
Date: 2011-03-19
SONY DSC
Location: Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI
Date: 2011-03-19

photo credit: Hans-Peter Fieber

Photo Courtesy of Lazy S'S Farm Nursery.
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2015-06-20
Location: Missouri Botanical Garden (Mobot) in St Louis
Date: 2016-06-18
Location: Alnwick Garden, Northumberland, UK
Date: 2015-07-29

Date: July 13, 2007
photo by Wildfeuer (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Wildfe
Location: Mercer Botanical Garden  Houston, Tx
Date: 2014-05-19
Location: Mercer Botanical Garden  Houston, Tx
Date: 2014-05-19

Date: 2013-06-28
Location: Ft Worth Botanic, Tx
Date: 2017-11-18
Location: Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI
Date: 2011-03-19
Location: Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI
Date: 2016-03-20
Location: Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI
Date: 2016-03-20
Location: Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI
Date: 2011-03-19
Location: My garden in N E Pa. 
Date: 2015-07-15
Location: London/Kent border
Date: 2012-03-12
Location: New York, NY
Date: 2013-10
Bronx bot garden
Location: Mercer Botanical Garden  Houston, Tx
Date: 2014-05-19
Location: Mercer Botanical Garden  Houston, Tx
Date: 2014-05-19
Location: Mercer Botanical Garden  Houston, Tx
Date: 2014-05-19
Location: Ponta do Pargo - Madeira
Date: 2023-04-23
This plant is tagged in:
Image

Comments:
  • Posted by Bonehead (Planet Earth - Zone 8b) on Sep 5, 2013 2:14 PM concerning plant:
    This plant struggles for me. It emerges late and is highly susceptible to slug damage. Just when I think I have lost it (again), it throws up some rather ratty looking foliage and I try to pamper it to a nice looking plant. I have never gotten a bloom from it. I've seen some gorgeous photos of it, but sadly, I think this is just not a good choice for my Pacific NW climate.
  • Posted by robertduval14 (Milford, New Hampshire - Zone 5b) on Sep 19, 2016 10:04 PM concerning plant:
    National flower of Greece.
  • Posted by Marilyn (Kentucky - Zone 6a) on May 25, 2013 5:59 AM concerning plant:
    "Acanthus mollis, commonly known as bear's breeches or oyster plant, is a herbaceous perennial plant with an underground rhizome in the genus Acanthus. It is regarded as an invasive species in some jurisdictions.

    Acanthus mollis is entomophilous and it is pollinated only by bees or bumble bees large enough to force their way between the upper sepal and the lower, so that they can reach the nectar at the bottom of the tube. The fruit is an ovoid capsule containing two to four large black seeds. The dispersal of seeds is by the wind (anemochory).

    These plants are usually propagated from tubers and tend to form large, localized clumps which can survive for several decades and look statuesque when well-grown, but its suitability as a garden plant is lessened on account of its invasive nature (new plants are produced readily both from seed and portions of root) and its susceptibility to powdery mildew and attacks from snails."

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

Plant Events from our members
chelle On October 28, 2014 Transplanted
SE house hugel bed, E at ground level.
GardensJohn On July 8, 2021 Transplanted
Plant came up this spring after being smothered by English ivy. But the neighbors cut down two large oak trees, removing the shade. The amount of sun was killing it! So I transplanted it into my shady woodland part of my garden.
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