Identification

Re: Please can anyone identify this?

bigsusan55 — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 20:17:33 GMT

Ah, yes, those look as vicious as mine. Thanks Silver surfer - I shall go and label it. There does seem to be some variation in how prickly it gets, doesn't there. Perhaps it is growing conditions?

Anyway, I shall keep it for a while longer. I keep thinking that it should look good in the right place in the garden and move the pot around frequently, but have never found that perfect spot. And I must have had the plant for at least 12 years! It has been split and repotted in that time, of course.

Re: Please can anyone identify this?

Silver surfer — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:35:56 GMT

Another pic for you bigsusan

http://www.popsignage.com/_ccLib/image/plantstock/COMP-003284.jpg

http://www.floralworld.ru/images/plants/acanthus_spinosissimus.jpg

Re: Please can anyone identify this?

bigsusan55 — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:03:22 GMT

Thanks Silversurfer. Sorry about the delay in replying; somehow the emailing bit got redisabled.

I haven't found out how to paste a real link in yet, so thanks for creating it.

My acanthus is even more prickly than that. Sorry about the poor pictures. OH has my camera, so I had to use my phone. No flowers this year; I suspect it doesn't like being in a pot, but I'm undecided whether to allow it garden space.

Re: Please can anyone identify this?

Silver surfer — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:46:35 GMT

The RHS Plantfinder, which I try to use to check spellings use Acanthus spinosus.

Think this is the link you added bigsusan55.

http://www.rhs.org.uk/rhsplantselector/plantdetail.aspx?plantid=42114

There is a REALLY prickly one called Acanthus spinosus Spinosissimus group.Maybe this is the one you have bigsusan55.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://img.hgtv.com/HGTV/2006/10/25/acanthus_spinosus_foliage_lg.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.hgtv.com/landscaping/bears-breeches/index.html&usg=__7Q0_WCp43AHTxoKGgvaPoO2xL9w=&h=821&w=616&sz=215&hl=en&start=2&um=1&tbnid=c2xzXxznQR5cyM:&tbnh=144&tbnw=108&prev=/images%3Fq%3DAcanthus%2Bspinosus%2Bspinosissimus%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dp,com.microsoft:en-gb:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7SUNA_en-GB%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1

Re: Please can anyone identify this?

bigsusan55 — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:12:20 GMT

Acanthus, yes. Spinosus (or spinosa?), I'm not certain about that. The naming of acanthus seems to be a bit variable, but the RHS version of acanthus spinosis is much more prickly:-

http://www.rhs.org.uk/rhsplantselector/plantdetail.aspx?plantid=42114

Howver, the BBC website seems to show something similar to yours as Acanthus spinosus so its anybody's guess. The web doesn't help much.

Just to confuse matters, I have an acanthus that is even more prickly that the one shown on the RHS site - much worse than a thistle. I keep wondering whether I really like it and whether to get rid of it, but I haven't got the heart to do it.

Susan B

Re: Please can anyone identify this?

SallyH — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:19:29 GMT

Thanks very much!

Re: Please can anyone identify this?

Phot's-Moll — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 06:45:01 GMT

I agree.

Re: Please can anyone identify this?

Silver surfer — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:02:00 GMT

Looks like Acanthus spinosus. Common name Bear's breeches.

http://images.google.com/images?q=Acanthus%20spinosus&rls=p,com.microsoft:en-gb:IE-SearchBox&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7SUNA_en-GB&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi

Please can anyone identify this?

SallyH — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 21:53:59 GMT

This beautiful plant has lush green leaves all year round, with tall 6ft flower spikes, flowers palish purple/cream

Thanks very much