Acanthus spinosus

{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}

{{Speciesbox

|image = P1000255 Acanthus spinosus (Spiny bear's breeches) (Acanthaceae) Plant.JPG

|image_caption = A. spinosus, San Francisco Botanical Garden

|genus = Acanthus

|species = spinosus

|authority = L.

}}

Acanthus spinosus, the spiny bear's breech,{{BSBI 2007 |accessdate=2014-10-17 }} is a species of flowering plant in the family Acanthaceae, native to southern Europe, from Italy to western Turkey. It is an herbaceous perennial growing to {{convert|150|cm|0|abbr=on}} tall by {{convert|60|-|90|cm|0|abbr=on}} wide. The deeply cut leaves have spiny margins, and in early summer it bears erect, {{convert|1|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} long racemes of white flowers with maroon bracts.{{cite book|title=RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants|year=2008|publisher=Dorling Kindersley|location=United Kingdom|isbn=978-1405332965|page=1136}}

It is thought that both A. spinosus and its close relative A. mollis were introduced to Britain as ornamental and herbal plants from the Mediterranean in Roman times.[https://web.archive.org/web/20091028060850/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/3324985/How-to-grow-Acanthus.html How to grow: Acanthus – Telegraph] It has been intermittently cultivated ever since, and is now a regular feature of the herbaceous border.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plant_finder/plant_pages/6.shtml BBC – Gardening: Plant Finder – Bear's breeches] For centuries, stone or bronze stylized versions of acanthus leaves have appeared as decoration on certain styles of architecture and furniture.

Image:Acanthus spinosus opening.jpg|Young plant

Image:Acanthus spinosus leaf.jpg|Leaf