Bear's breeches (Acanthus 'Summer Beauty')
Acanthus 'Summer Beauty' (Bear's breeches) offers bold, architectural foliage and striking creamy white flowers. Hardy in Zones 6-10.
Complete Plant Information
Overview
Acanthus ‘Summer Beauty’ is a magnificent herbaceous perennial, prized globally for its dramatic architectural presence in the garden. This hybrid, often called Bear’s breeches, features deeply lobed, spiny, glossy dark green foliage that forms a striking basal mound, providing structure even when not in bloom. The plant earns its renown from the tall, stately flower spikes that rise above the leaves, crowned with creamy white flowers set against conspicuous purple bracts.
As a robust perennial, Acanthus ‘Summer Beauty’ thrives across a wide range of conditions, being notably more heat-tolerant than some of its relatives. While it establishes slowly, once settled, this Bear’s breeches specimen provides significant visual weight, making it invaluable for formal designs or as a vertical accent point throughout the summer months. Gardeners must respect its potential for spreading via creeping rootstocks, requiring mindful placement or management.
This plant offers a classical, Mediterranean feel, reminiscent of the ornate leaf designs carved on Corinthian columns. Whether used as a bold specimen or integrated into a mixed border, Acanthus ‘Summer Beauty’ delivers high impact with medium maintenance once established in the correct sunny to partially shaded location.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Acanthaceae
- Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 6-10
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 3-6 ft
- Spread: 2-3 ft
- Bloom Time: June to July
- Bloom Description: Creamy white subtended by purple bracts
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Water Needs: Medium
- Maintenance Level: Medium
How to Grow
Plant Acanthus ‘Summer Beauty’ in the spring once the danger of late frost has passed, ensuring it receives average, fertile, medium moisture, well-drained soil. This hybrid performs best when situated where it receives full sun to light part shade; excessive shade will significantly reduce the quality and quantity of its signature summer blooms. Be aware that late spring frosts can impair or entirely eliminate flowering for that season, so site selection is important.
Watering should be maintained at a medium level, especially while the plant is establishing its somewhat slow initial growth phase. Acanthus tolerates a wide range of soils, but insists on excellent drainage; avoid any poorly-drained locations which can quickly lead to root issues. Fertilization is rarely necessary if the soil is already rich and fertile.
Prune by removing the spent flowering stalks immediately after they finish blooming to maintain a tidy appearance. In colder regions (the northern extent of its range), leave the foliage in place over winter for insulation, removing it completely only in early spring just as new growth begins to emerge. Remember that Bear’s breeches can spread aggressively via creeping rootstocks; barrier installation is an effective management tool for restricting unwanted colonization, especially in loose soils.
Landscape Uses
Acanthus ‘Summer Beauty’ is celebrated for providing bold, stately accents in the garden design. These plants are often best utilized when planted in small groupings rather than as solitary specimens, allowing their architectural foliage mounds to form a substantial base for the vertical flower spikes. They integrate exceptionally well into formal gardens where strong geometric shapes and pronounced texture are desired elements.
Consider placing Bear’s breeches toward the middle or rear third of mixed borders, where their height (3 to 6 feet) won’t overshadow smaller border companions. Their dramatic leaf shape offers a strong contrast to fine-textured plants like ornamental grasses or softer perennials such as Nepeta or Geraniums. Given their structural nature, they also function perfectly as anchors at the corners of pathways or flanking an entry feature.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
- Good Cut
Noteworthy Characteristics
Acanthus is a genus revered since antiquity, deriving its name from akantha, the Greek word for spine, referencing the toothed leaf edges found on some species. Acanthus ‘Summer Beauty’ is a successful hybrid (A. mollis x A. spinosus) characterized by deeply-lobed, glossy, dark green leaves reaching up to 2 feet long, forming an attractive basal mound. Its substantial flower spikes rise 4 to 6 feet tall, bearing creamy white, snapdragon-like flowers cleverly hooded and subtended by spiny purple bracts.
Tolerances
- Rabbit
Potential Problems
The foliage of this Bear’s breeches can be susceptible to powdery mildew, particularly in conditions where air circulation is poor. To mitigate this, ensure adequate spacing between plants as you site your Acanthus ‘Summer Beauty’. Furthermore, watch out for snails and slugs, as these pests are known to consume foliage, causing significant cosmetic damage if left unchecked. Preventing aggressive spread remains key; while plants are slow to establish, aggressively manage any runners through root barriers if limiting their range is a concern.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Bear’s breeches suitable for?
Acanthus ‘Summer Beauty’ is winter hardy in USDA Zones 6 through 10.
How large does Acanthus ‘Summer Beauty’ grow?
This plant typically reaches a mature height between 3 and 6 feet, with a spread of 2 to 3 feet wide.
When does Bear’s breeches bloom?
Acanthus ‘Summer Beauty’ displays its blooms from June into July, featuring creamy white flowers subtended by distinctive purple bracts.
What sun exposure does Acanthus ‘Summer Beauty’ need?
It performs best in conditions ranging from full sun to partial shade; flowering performance may decrease significantly if planted in too much shade.
Conclusion
Acanthus ‘Summer Beauty’ brings unparalleled architectural drama and classical elegance to the garden through its bold foliage and vertical flower spikes. This hybrid version of Bear’s breeches is an excellent choice for providing structure and texture where Mediterranean flair is desired. Before planting, verify that your site accommodates its light requirements and soil drainage needs to ensure successful long-term establishment.
Propagation Tips
Propagating Acanthus ‘Summer Beauty’ is best achieved through root cuttings, a method generally undertaken in the early spring before active leaf growth commences. While the plants can be slow to settle in their new location, understand that they can be somewhat difficult to eradicate once established. This difficulty arises because even small root fragments left behind in the soil have the potential to sprout into entirely new, potentially unwanted, plants.
For gardeners wishing to control the extent of spread or propagate new specimens, root barriers are highly recommended when planting the initial acquisition. When taking cuttings, ensure you sever larger, established roots, as tiny root pieces may be less vigorous. Be patient; like establishing plants from scratch, propagated sections often require time before showing robust top growth.
Design Ideas
The imposing size and distinct leaf morphology of Acanthus ‘Summer Beauty’ make it an ideal candidate for creating focal points. Its deep green, lobed leaves contrast beautifully against pale-colored hardscaping or gravel gardens, enhancing the classical aesthetic often associated with this genus. Use its height to create visual layers in deep borders, placing shorter, sun-loving perennials in front to soften the base.
To fully appreciate the unique bloom structure of this Bear’s breeches, illuminated specimen planting works wonderfully. Place Acanthus ‘Summer Beauty’ where evening light can catch the creamy white flowers nestled against the purple bracts. This plant serves as an excellent architectural counterpoint to more weeping or airy plantings, such as Nepeta or ornamental grasses, adding necessary visual weight.
