

How to identify Bear's breech (Acanthus mollis)
Bear's breech, also known as Oyster plant
Bear's breech features striking dark green, deeply lobed leaves and white to light pink flowers housed in spiny green and purple bracts. The visible blooms appear atop vertical spikes that reach impressive heights of 4-6 feet (1.2-1.8 meters) during the spring and early summer season. Each plant can grow to 3-4 feet (0.9-1.2 meters) tall and 3 feet (0.9 meters) wide. The foliage may become dormant in summer without regular moisture but it is resilient to low temperatures, surviving down to about 5 degrees Fahrenheit (-15 degrees Celsius). The plant's lush leafy presence may spread via rhizomes, and care may include controlling this spread with root barriers.
Deeply lobed dark green leaves with shiny texture, up to 24 inches (0.6 meters) long.
White to light pink flowers with tubular shape, surrounded by spiny green or purplish bracts.
Fruit is green oval capsule, 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) long, splitting open to release dark seeds.
Flowers bloom May-July, 2 inches (5 cm) long, with purple upper lip and white lower lip.
Vertical spikes of blooms can reach 4-6 feet (1.2-1.8 meters) in height during spring/early summer.
The leaves of bear's breech form a mounded basal cluster, emerging directly from the base of the plant. They are large and can reach up to 0.6 meters (24 inches) in length and 10 inches (25 centimeters) in width. Each leaf is deeply lobed and cut with a soft-spiny texture and a shiny, dark green appearance. The long stems support the glossy leaves, which exhibit a deeply veined pattern and a distinctive, lush look, making them easily identifiable.
Bear's breech flowers are approximately 2 inches (5 cm) in length, tubular in shape, and grow on spikes 1-2 feet (30-60 cm) tall. Each flower has two lips: the upper lip is purple and forms a hood over the lower lip, which is three-lobed, white with purple or rose-colored veins. The flowers are surrounded by spiny bracts which are green or purplish in color. They bloom from May to July, displaying pink or white hues covered by spiny purple bracts.
The fruit of bear's breech appears as green oval capsules, which ripen to a distinguished woody texture. Typically, these seed pods measure about 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) in length. Upon maturity, the capsules split open to release numerous small, dark brown or black seeds. The surface of these capsules may be slightly bumpy or ridged, providing a tactile interest. This distinctive fruit develops from a summer to autumn blooming pattern and is key for propagation and identification purposes.
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Scientific Classification of Bear's breech