Acanthus montanus | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Lamiales |
Family: | Acanthaceae |
Genus: | Acanthus |
Species: | A. montanus
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Binomial name | |
Acanthus montanus (
Nees)
T.Anderson (1863)
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Synonyms [2] | |
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Acanthus montanus, also known as bear's breech or mountain thistle and in Igbo; ogwu_ahga (in Agbani, Enugu State Nigeria) is a species of flowering plant in the genus Acanthus. It is native to tropical Africa, growing in wet and shady places like stream borders [1] in Sierra Leone in West Africa and from Benin to Chad, Zambia, and Angola in central Africa. [2]
It is a thinly branched perennial with basal clusters of oblong to lance-shaped glossy, dark green leaves reaching up to 12 inches (30 cm) long. The leaves have silver marks, wavy margins and thorns. It reaches up to 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and about 24 inches (61 cm) wide. Spikes of pale pink flowers appear summer to fall. [3]
In cultivation it prefers shady situations and occasional deep watering, but tolerates sunny, dry situations too. Its aggressive roots make this plant well suited to slopes. [3]