RE: Acanthus mollis

Oh Marge, if you only knew how we struggle to grow the warm weather crops
that need hot nights here.   All kinds of cold frames, "walls of water",
etc.   I used to grow pretty good corn, but raccoons always got it before I
did.  Tomatoes produce a good crop, but don't always ripen except for the 60
day varieties.  Some of the old cultivars that have come out of Russia since
the cold war ended are very good in our hot day/cool night maritime climate.
But melons.....forget it!  (we import those from California) :).

Marilyn Dube'
Natural Designs Nursery
Portland, Oregon


-----Original Message-----
From:	owner-perennials@hort.net [o*@hort.net] On Behalf
Of Marge Talt
Sent:	Sunday, November 17, 2002 9:54 PM
To:	perennials@hort.net
Subject:	Re: Acanthus mollis

Marilyn,

I'm pretty sure you're right about the lack of bloom on my main A.
mollis - it is in quite a bit of shade, whereas my other one is in
all the sun I can muster.  But, the foliage on A. mollis is lovely
and it will produce that in shade, so shade it gets:-)  There are two
other clumps out in my old veggie garden where I originally had it
stowed, awaiting a permanent home (one in the ground and one
permanently in a sunken cold frame).  Those get more sun, but also
have never flowered.  These are all, oh, maybe 15 year old or so..

I've also read that it can be more shy flowering than the other
species, no matter what conditions it's in...so that may be a factor,
and my climate may have something to do with that, too...you are in
gardening heaven (except for sweet corn and tomatoes:->)

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
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----------
> From: Marilyn Dube <mygarden@easystreet.com>
>
> Paul and Marge,
> 	My experience with both Acanthus mollis & Acanthus spinosus has
been that
> they are slow growers for about 2-3 years and then really start to
bulk up
> and bloom well.  My spinosus went from 3 bloom stalks to 15 between
years 3
> & 4 (or maybe it was years 4 & 5).  I had to dig it out temporarily
so it
> would not be trampled during garage reconstruction this fall.  It
has a HUGE
> root ball that it took 2 of us to drag to the compost pile to heel
in until
> it can be replaced in the original spot.
> I find the flowers intriguing - very prehistoric looking.  They
last a long,
> long time and also make great dried cuts.  Marge, I think your lack
of bloom
> is directly related to lack of sun.  I had a Japanese Maple die and
> consequently opened up the area around my deck to much more
sunlight.  I'm
> sure that also contributed to the increase of bloom stalks.  I much
prefer
> the foliage of A. mollis.  To me it looks very tropical, like a
cutleaf
> Philodendron.  They are both evergreen here in our maritime
climate.
>
> Marilyn Dube'
> Natural Designs Nursery
> Portland, Oregon
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:	owner-perennials@hort.net [o*@hort.net]
On Behalf
> Of Marge Talt
> Sent:	Saturday, November 16, 2002 8:08 PM
> To:	perennials@hort.net
> Subject:	Re: Acanthus mollis
>
> Congratulations, Paul;-)
>
> Well, I have to say I started with a potted plant, not a seedling,
> but my impression is that they are not hugely fast growers.  Took
> mine a few years to become a large clump.
>
> They do develop deep tap roots and when you plant them in the
garden,
> you'd best be certain that's where you want them, because if you
> decide to change your mind and try to dig up a plant and move it,
> some of that long root will be left in the ground and grow a new
> plant.
>
> I find A. mollis wants to be evergreen in the worst way.  Any mild
> period during winter and it will start to put out fresh foliage,
> which, of course, gets blackened the minute the temps. go below
> freezing again.
>
> I do not think you'll find them taking up too much room their first
> season, but, after several years in the ground, they form
substantial
> clumps....really substantial.  Lovely plants, IMO.  Just acquired
> 'New Zealand Gold' this year and will be interested to find out how
> well it holds that color in the shady spot where I've planted it.
A.
> mollis has never bloomed for me whereas the plant I bought as A.
> balcanicus (now, I think A. hungaricus) blooms faithfully every
year.
>
> BTW, most interested in what you did to achieve germination.  I
have
> failed miserably the few times I've tried to germinate seeds from
A.
> balcanicus/hungaricus...now, I know what to do.  Thanks for posting
> that, Paul.
>
> Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
> mtalt@hort.net
> Editor:  Gardening in Shade
> -----------------------------------------------
> Current Article: Wild, Wonderful Aroids Part Two - Elephant Ears,
> Alocasia, Colocasia &  Xanthosoma
> http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/shade_gardening
> ------------------------------------------------
> Complete Index of Articles by Category and Date
> http://mtalt.hort.net/article-index.html
> ------------------------------------------------
> All Suite101.com garden topics :
> http://www.suite101.com/topics.cfm/635
> ----------
> > From: Meum71@aol.com
> >
> > I have five seedlings from a test germination, and am wondering
how
> fast
> > these plants grow.  I am hoping they are slow growing because I
do
> not have a
> > lot of space to keep them over our long Minnesota winter.
> >
> > I soaked 5 seeds in hot water for two days replacing the water
> every 12 hours
> > with new hot water, sowed them by covering the seeds about 1/4
inch
> deep and
> > kept the pots at F 65.  Germination started in about four days
with
> the last
> > seed germinating in about ten days and now one week after
> germination I have
> > one fuzzy "leaf" from each seed coming out of the ground.  It
looks
> like this
> > is a plant that produces a deep tap root right away.
>
>
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