ACANTHUS mollis

It's an herbacious perennial plant, particularly known for the corinthian capitals where leaves of this plant are carved out. It's a mediterranean plant, spontaneous in many european countries where it grows in moist and shaded locations. It creates a tiny bush growing till to 1 metre, characterized by big bright and green leaves having a deeply divided and jagged margin. The latin specific term "mollis" = soft, is related to the leaves without thorns, as opposed to the other kind, Acanthus spinosus, with thorny leaves. Long white flower spikes with violet-purple bracts will appear at the end of spring. If the summer is particularly hot as well as dry, the plant may undergo a natural process of yellowing and wilting of the leaves, which will grow again from the base when temperature and rainfall/irrigation come back to the normal condition: a shaded position and a constant mosture level of the soil could limit such behavior.

It's a rustic plant which tolerates both drought and sunny positions, but for a greater development place it in drained and moist soils, in semi-shaded places. After blooming, it has to be pruned at the base of the tuft, in order to stimulate the growth of a new and vigorous vegetation at the end of summer. Intense frosts can damage the foliage, which will be restored from the base in spring.