Acanthus mollis
| Acanthus mollis | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |   |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 4' |
| Width: | 2' |
| Blooms: | Early Summer-Late Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Medicinal Rating: | |
| Tea: | Yes |
Acanthus mollis (common name: bear's breeches)
Propagation: Seed - sow spring in a cold frame[1][2] or outside as soon as the seed is ripe[1]. It usually germinates in 3 - 4 weeks at 10°c[1]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on for two years before planting out in late spring or early summer[2][K].
Division in spring or autumn[3][2]. Very easy, they can be planted straight out into their permanent positions.
Root cuttings - winter in a coldframe[3][2].
Cultivation: Prefers a deep loamy soil in a sheltered position in full sun[4] but tolerates partial shade[5][3]. Grows well in heavy clay soils if they are well-drained but dislikes heavy damp soils[3] and will not overwinter in wet soils[2]. Established plants are fairly drought tolerant[6].
Hardy to about -15°c[7], though young plants may require protection in the winter[6] and even older ones may need protection in cold winters[3].
A very ornamental plant[4]. The leaves can wilt on hot summer days when plants are grown in full sun[6]. Plants can become invasive[8], spreading by suckers, and they are difficult to eradicate due to their deep roots[6]. Does well in the lawn or wild garden[3]. Plants can be grown in quite coarse grass, which can be cut in the autumn[9].
Members of this genus are not usually browsed by deer[9].
Range: South-western Europe - Portugal to the Balkans. Naturalized in Britain in W. Cornwall[10].
Habitat: Woodland scrub and stony hillsides[11].
Medicinal: The leaves and roots are astringent, detergent, emollient and vulnerary[12][13][14]. The plant contains appreciable quantities of mucilage and tannin. Traditionally it was used as a treatment for dislocated joints and for burns. A paste made from the plant, when applied to a dislocated joint, tends to normalize the affected muscles and ligaments, simultaneously relaxing and tightening them to encourage the joint back into its proper place[14]. The crushed leaves have been used as a poultice to soothe burns and scalds[15]. For internal use, the plant's emollient properties are useful in treating irritated mucous membranes within the digestive and urinary tracts[14].
Usage: The sub-species A. mollis latifolia makes a good ground cover plant[16]. Relatively slow to cover the ground at first but it can eventually become invasive[8].
Pollinators: Bees
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Heavy Clay: Grows in heavy-clay soils.
Also Known As: A. latifolius.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Rice, Graham. Growing from Seed Volume 1. Thompson and Morgan, 1987.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Sanders, Thomas. Popular Hardy Perennials. Collingridge, 1926.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Brown, George. Shade Plants for Garden and Woodland.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Chatto, Beth. The Damp Garden. Dent, 1982.
- ↑ Phillips, Roger and Martyn Rix. Perennials - The Definitve Reference. Pan Books, 1991.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Napier, Elspeth. Ground Cover Plants. Cassells, 1989.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Thomas, Graham. Perennial Garden Plants. J. M. Dent & Sons, 1990.
- ↑ Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ Polunin, Oleg. Flowers of Greece and the Balkans. Oxford University Press, 1980.
- ↑ Chiej, Roberto. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald, 1984.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Chevallier, Andrew. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. Dorling Kindersley, 1996.
- ↑ Stuart, Malcolm. The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism. Orbis Publishing, 1979.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Plants for Ground Cover. Everyman, 1990.