Re: Acanthus

Other than being in different beds in my yard, they are too different.
It wouldn't surprise me if they are the same.  My notes say A.
balcanicus is about 1.5 m tall and pale pink flushed with mauve; A.
hugraricus is about 1 m tall and lavender and white.  I have never
attempted a technical comparison of their characteristics to see
if there are actually any taxonomic differences.  

Generally, when I buy a new plant I look it up in one of my reference
books on perennials to see if it is going to be hardy for me and if
I already have it under another name.  If the book I happen to be
using at the time says the name is a valid species name, I buy it.
I buy enough new plants every year that sometimes I don't get around
to checking all of my other books to see what their author's think
about possible synonymy and besides, taxonomists being who they are,
you can probably find disputes over the naming of 3/4 of the plants
found in nurseries.  I try to keep things accurate as to names, but
also try not to let it worry me too much if a few synonyms slip by
me.  I'd like to have it all current and correct, but with over
1300 species of perennials, grasses and ferns; that would be a full
time job just doing the record keeping and I'd much rather be out
and about indulging my plant addiction.

John
zone 6b in southwest Virginia


On Fri, 14 Apr 2000, Don Martinson wrote:

>>Hi,
>>
>>According to my notes, I have Acanthus balcanicus, A. hungaricus,
>>A. mollis and A. spinosus (spinosissimus) still living in my garden.
>
>
>John...
>
>I was under the impression that A. balcanicus and A. hungaricus were 
>one in the same.  Since you are growing them both, how do they differ 
>for you?
>
>-- 
>Don Martinson
>Milwaukee, Wisconsin
>l*@execpc.com
>
>
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