PlantFiles: Bear's Breeches
Acanthus mollis 'Tasmanian Angel'

Sadly, this plant didn't make it for me. I planted it in June of '08 in a big pot in a shady corner with a banana. I don't know if it was the winter cold or the early spring heat wave we had, but it finally gave up the ghost in June of '09. It never did very well, but even the couple of leaves it had were gorgeous. It was expensive, too, so I was even more sorry to lose it!
The plain green ones are in everybody's neglected garden around here, so I can only assume the variegated one is less hardy.

I just purchased this plant at Edelweiss Perennials after seeing it in bloom there. What a spectacular plant. The owner of the garden told me it does best if left in a pot, and suggested I move mine from its current one gallon to a two gallon next spring. He said it will hold in a two gallon for a couple of years and, ultimately end up in a five gallon.

The foliage is stunning and the pink flower spikes combined with the fabulous foliage will light up any shady corner. This is the most stiking shade plant I have seen to date.