Acanthus mollis L.
Bear's breeches (Acanthus mollis) is a long-lived, evergreen perennial herb that is native to south-west Europe. It was introduced to New Zealand as a garden ornamental and was first recorded in the wild (naturalised) in 1958. The plant grows up to about 2 metres tall from thick underground rhizomes and has large, glossy, deeply divided leaves. It flowers from November to January, producing tall spikes of white flowers with purple bracts, which develop into capsules containing several large seeds. It tolerates shade, drought and a range of soil types. It reproduces by seed and vegetatively from rhizomes. Seeds are dispersed when the seed capsules split open, while rhizomes are spread by soil movement, dumped garden waste and other human activities. Rhizome fragments readily produce new plants.
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