Acanthus montanus T.Anderson

A herb which keeps growing from year to year. It grows 70-170 cm high. It spread 1-2 m wide. The branches are sprawling and lie over. The leaves are oval with deep lobes. They taper to pointy tips. The leaves are 20-25 cm long. There are sharp teeth around the edge. The flowers are in long spikes at the ends of branches. The flowers have a lip which is pale pink and the veins are purple. There are green, leaf-like bracts which are spiny.

A tropical plant. It grows naturally in tropical West Africa. It suits hardiness zones 10-11. It needs a fertile well drained soil. It grows in mountain forest in the understorey.

Plants can be grown from seeds or by cuttings.