Use this propagation technique to get hundreds of Acanthus Mollis (Bear’s Breeches)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.ย. 2024
- Propagation of Acanthus Mollis made easy by making use of the plant's natural cycles. I’ll answer the question of whether pruning flower spikes is necessary and where the plant is most well-suited. If you follow my advice you might hear the plant in action as its pods launch seeds in the heat of summer.
By the way if you’ve recently acquired an acanthus don’t worry if it doesn’t flower the first year as it’s probably just getting established.
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#propagation
#pruning
#seeds
#sprouts
#flowers
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#carpenterbees
Prefers semi shade in the U.K. but grows well. It’s already dying back now but I’m not entirely sure if that just because we have had a sad excuse of a summer It’s only the 3rd year but it has indeed spread through a 2x1 bed So I will be attempting propagating via separation at the end of the season when all the flowers have dried. I have picked some “seed pods” as am curious to see if the can be grown in this way
Our neighbor grew this 15 years ago, now the bloody thing is everywhere, growing in the bush, across his section, and all over my back garden and house, and when not in flower they look like a huge mess cause sucking insect LOVE THEM, and by the million, they breed and suck all the leaves dead. Vine Hoppers have bred and spread from these decimating my Dahlias, and other flowers.
I like this video! I'm glad you showed a stalk after it dried, I've never seen one (even on video) before.
It's always a pleasure to find a gardener who is into permaculture. Thank you! I'll watch your other videos too.
Thanks for the support. I love this plant and I’m surprised that it’s not as popular here where I live. I’ll be publishing on weekly or biweekly schedule, so stay tuned.
I bought seeds from a garden centre , started them in pots and moved them to the garden the following spring,... fifteen years later the plants produced flowers spikes.I am mentioning this because if you want bloom spikes from plant grown from seed you may have a long wait.
I’ll be watching how long the plants from seed take to flower. They do need at least two years to set flowers definitely something to keep in mind.
Great Video! Thanks I have the Acanthus Spinosus ( a little shorter and has spikes around the flower head). I'm in zone 6( western mass.) USA and it gets about 6 hours of morning sunlight but has never spread. I've had it about 15 years in the same spot. Is this normal for the Spinosus type?
Several factors could be contributing to why your Acanthus Spinosus isn't spreading as expected in your Zone 6 location. Given its Mediterranean origin, the colder climate in Zone 6 might be a challenge for it. Besides the cold, you should also consider soil drainage and fertility. These plants tend to thrive in poorer soil conditions, so excessive fertility could be a hindrance. You might be able to provide more sunlight since Zone 6 doesn't have the intense and prolonged heat seen in some Mediterranean areas, here the plant would just get blasted away by the sun.
Since you only have one plant to experiment with, it may be challenging to carry out trials effectively. However, it's worth noting that the specific cultivar might not be the primary issue. In fact, Acanthus Spinosus is notorious for its invasive tendencies, which some people dislike due to their rapid spreading.
You could try propagating by means of a root cutting, just dig up the offshoots of the main plant without damaging the tap root and take several cuttings. I have never done it but it's worth researching and giving it a try. Best of luck!
I just purchased a Whitewater acanthus. I’m too nervous to plant in the ground as I do not want it to spread. I’m not worried about seedlings as they are way to pluck out. But my understanding is that it would be impossible to contain in one area because of the rhizomes. Do you have a recommendation on containing this plant? This is a concern I only have a small garden. Thank you.
If you are active in the garden I wouldn’t worry too much about it spreading by rhizome. You’ll notice any new plants right away and they are easy enough to pluck out and pot up. If you are planting and forgetting about it, spreading is definitely a concern especially if it’s not native in your region. I’ve only recently planted out to an unconfined area, but so far the droughts here are keeping them in check. Keep us posted on how it goes.
@@marxagarden That’s very encouraging. Thank you!
Enjoyed your video.
I'm in Seattle, Washington in the US. I have 2 acanthus mollis about 15 yrs old that are in full sun. One is easily 5' (1.5 meters?) across. I have to protect the leaves as the temps go up or they burn, but I love the almost prehistoric shape and size of them.
How would I divide them?
One of mine has stopped flowering. Have you e er experienced that with yours?
Mine never spread.
Interested to hear more of your permaculture soil building adventures.
The only place I’ve had luck here in Spain is in deep shade otherwise they do burn. Are they in pots? If not they should spread on their own and be ready to divide in fall or spring when you see the first leaves. This fall I’ll be dividing them for the first time using a spade, this is the technique I saw Monty Don use. From what I understand Acanthus can skip flowering for several reasons, too rich of soil, they tend to do well in poor soils, a late frost that destroys the tender crown or snail pressure that eat the tender crown at an early stage. If the plant is in a pot try transplanting. I’m originally from the PNW Vancouver, WA I know the slugs can eat a lot there. Hope things turn around for your acanthus. Maybe experiment with poor soil and more drainage.
Thanks for your video! Would you be making on when you use the spade method? I have a big 1m wide one, and hoping to split it to spread around the garden. It's also in flower at the moment (going to seed now), so I'll keep them there to dry out and try to spread the seeds. Can you catch them before they catapult? Or are the seeds not viable then?
I'm in the UK
You can certainly collect the seed pods before they burst open, but it's best to wait until they turn brown to ensure that the seeds inside are viable. This fall, I plan on creating a video demonstrating how to divide them with a spade once they revive. I'm thrilled to hear that the previous video was helpful!