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Acanthus (plant)
Acanthus montanus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Acanthaceae
Genus:	Acanthus L.
Species
See text

Acanthus is a genus of about 30 species of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae, native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the Old World, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean region and Asia. Common names include Acanthus and Bear's breeches.

The genus comprises herbaceous perennial plants, rarely subshrubs, with spiny leaves and flower spikes bearing white or purplish flowers. Size varies from 40 cm, up to 2 m tall.

Selected species

• Acanthus balcanicus
• Acanthus dioscoridis
• Acanthus ebracteatus
• Acanthus eminens
• Acanthus hirsutus
• Acanthus hungaricus
• Acanthus ilicifolius
• Acanthus mollis
• Acanthus montanus
• Acanthus polystachyus
• Acanthus spinosus
• Acanthus syriacus

Cultivation and uses

Acanthus mollis flowering in the ruins of the Palatine Hill, Rome, May 2005

Several species, especially A. spinosus and A. mollis, are grown as ornamental plants.

The foliage is the basis of a style of architectural ornamentation; see acanthus (ornament).

References

• Flora Europaea: Acanthus
• Germplasm Resources Information Network: Acanthus
• Images of Acanthus

 "Acanthus". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). 1911.