Insectivorous Acanthus?
Channel: zuditaka
Date: 2011-11-04

Today I filmed the grand and spectacular Acanthus flower spikes in my garden. I have them, in pockets here and there, for that nice and special cottage garden effect that tall flower spikes, such as hollyhocks and delphiniums, can give.

The huge spectacular flower spikes are quite enormous and remind me of Triffids, as they are rather weird and science-fiction looking. The more I look at them, I speculate that, with time and evolution, and other factors such as climate, permitting, they are quite likely to turn into something quite insectivorous, such as a Venus Flytrap. 

Already the bottom "jaw" of each flower is jagged with sharp "teeth"; and there's a hood above--just ready and made to snap shut on some unsuspecting prey. And the wiry convolutions inside the flowers look like they, too, could play an eventual part in engaging, distracting and ensnaring an insect.

The decorative and pretty Acanthus leaves are a favourite of mine, too. They are so enormous and fabulous.  Like giant rhubarb leaves, really. I imagine, by their similar appearance, that they are a close relative of the rhubarb and, thus, most probably toxic. 

Acanthus need some extra water in summer, elsewise they'll be miserable and unhappy. The plants usually die down for awhile, exhausted and tatty after the worst of summer, but emerge again, revivified, in late winter for a glossy and dark green leafy display in spring.

Pretty Acanthus leaves were the aesthetic basis for Corinthian capitals. Here's good information at Wikipedia on Acanthus as ornament in Greek, Roman and Byzantine architecture and art :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acanthus_(ornament)

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