Do you want tall eye-catching flower stalks in the garden? Then Bear’s Breeches might be what you need. It is a huge perennial plant with glossy green leaves and tall flower spikes. Landscaping designers classify them as architectural plants and use the leaves as a motif in jewelry, reliefs, and moldings. The flowers are gorgeous, but gardeners grow them for foliage.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Acanthus mollis, commonly known as bear’s breeches, sea dock, bear’s foot plant, sea holly, gator plant or oyster plant, is a species of plant in the family Acanthaceae and is native to the Mediterranean region. It is a leafy, clump-forming perennial herb, with a rosette of relatively large, lobed or toothed leaves, and purplish and white flowers on an erect spike.
Acanthus mollis was first formally described in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus in his book Species Plantarum. The name of the genus derives from the Greek name of the plant ἄκανθος ákanthos; it was imitated in Corinthian capitals. This ἄκανθος ákanthos is related to ἄκανθα ákantha meaning “thorn” referring to the thorn-bearing sepals, or any thorny or prickly plant in Greek. The Latin name of the species, mollis meaning “soft, smooth”, refers to the texture of the leaves.

Acanthus mollis is a leafy, clump-forming perennial herb with tuberous roots. It has a basal rosette of dark glossy green, lobed or divided, glabrous leaves 50 cm (20 in) long and 30 cm (12 in) wide on a petiole 20–30 cm (7.9–11.8 in) long. The flowers are borne on an erect spike up to 200 cm (79 in) tall emerging from the leaf rosette. The sepals are purplish and function as the upper and lower lips of the petals, the upper lip about 4 cm (1.6 in) long and the lower lip 3 cm (1.2 in) long. The petals are about 4–4.5 cm (1.6–1.8 in) long and form a tube with a ring of hairs where the stamens are attached. Flowering occurs in summer and the fruit is a sharply-pointed capsule about 2 cm (0.79 in) long containing one or two brown seeds about 14 mm (0.55 in) long and 8 mm (0.31 in) wide.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
The Acanthus Bear’s Breeches plant grows best in partial shade to full sun. They need more protection from the hot afternoon sun in warmer climates but do well with a few hours of sun to produce those gorgeous blooms.
Temperature and Humidity
These plants are dependably hardy. Protect your plants during their first couple of winters with a thick layer of mulch. In Zones 6 and lower, continue this practice for the life of your plants.
Watering
One thing you will love about growing Bear’s Breeches is that it is drought tolerant. You can provide them with regular watering. About an inch, a week is plenty enough. But as with most outdoor plants, it depends on how dry the climate is and if you received a lot of rain.
Soil

Bear’s breeches like a rich soil with plenty of compost or other organic matter. Once established, they are more accommodating about poor soil, but they absolutely need good drainage, especially in winter. Sitting in cold, wet soil can cause the roots to rot and may kill the plants.
Fertilizing
Bear’s breeches are not heavy feeders. Start with a rich soil and side dress annually with compost. You can use a balanced fertilizer in spring or midsummer if the plants look like they need it. For the amount to use, follow product label instructions.
Pruning
In hot climates, the plants can be cut back after flowering. This will encourage fresh new foliage. Gardeners with cold winters should leave the plants standing and allow the leaves to protect the crown. Wait until you see new growth in the spring to cut back any damaged or declining leaves.
Propagation
Bear’s breeches propagate very easily by themselves, but you can plan to get some of your own to transplant in early spring. They can be propagated by dividing the plants or taking root cuttings. Dividing the mature plants will keep them healthy and blooming at their best. Here’s how:
- Bear’s breeches have long taproots and do not like to be moved. If you want to divide your plants, the best way to do it is to thrust a shovel into the base of the plant’s roots during the fall and leave the plant in place. (Wounding the taproot encourages the plant to send up plantlets.) The following spring, you should see several new baby plants that can easily be transplanted.
- Simply dig up the new plants, being careful not to damage the roots of either the mother plant or plantlets. Separate any tangled roots with a sharp sterile knife.
- Replant them in a suitable growing site and water the soil until moist.
How to Grow from Seed

While this plant does grow from seed, it will take the plant a while to get established. The best time to start bear’s breeches from seed is the springtime. You can start the seeds indoors at any time or directly sow them in the spring by simply planting the seeds in the desired location and watering. It will take about 21 to 25 days before you see them germinate. Expect to wait several years for them to bloom. They need time to grow and establish their root system before they start to send out flower buds.
Potting and Repotting
These plants grow well in large pots or container gardens. Take some of the new plants from a division of the plants outside in the garden and plant them carefully in the pots filled with a mixture of potting soil and peat moss. Not only does this keep bear’s breeches in a controlled area (the pot) but it makes for attractive foliage for the outside patio.
Overwintering
While the plant is still becoming established, you’ll want to cover with a thick layer of mulch in the winter. If attempting to grow in Zone 6, you should do this for the entirety of the plant’s life.
Pests and Diseases
Insects don’t generally bother bear’s breeches, but those gorgeous leaves can be susceptible to a handful of diseases, with powdery mildew being the usual culprit. Other fungal leaf spot diseases and bacterial leaf spot are other diseases that can crop up. Good air circulation and a dose of homemade fungicide will help take care of these issues. Slugs and snails do like to hide out and feed if the soil is damp, and these pests can do substantial damage if left unchecked. Spraying them with a salt spray solution or using diatomaceous earth will get these pests under control.
III. Varieties of Bear’s Breeches

You can find the Bear’s Breeches plant in different varieties seen here to add to your garden collection.
- Acanthus balcanicus var. hungaricus
The Hungarian Bear’s Breeches is an adaptable species that blooms later than other Acanthus mollis species. Another great thing is the plant is less susceptible to late winter frost.
- Acanthus spinosus
The Spiny Bear’s Breeches is more adaptable than your Acanthus mollis with more thistle-like bracts.
- Acanthus hungaricus
The Balkan Bear’s Breeches display white flowers to light pink flowers with purple bracts standing two feet tall in early spring to summer.
IV. Uses and Benefits

Bear’s breech can be planted in courtyards, flowerbeds, and gardens. Planted for its tall, eye-catching blooms, this plant is often used as an architectural plant and used to create landscape imagery. This is a good fit for cottage, informal, and Mediterranean gardens and is often planted with airy plants like ornamental grasses and Crocosmia, which look good against its bold foliage.