Acanthacea - the Acanthus family

Recently, unconsciously, I have been growing several members of the Acanthacea family. This has aroused my interest and am now on the lookout for more. I am currently growing the following 15 plants, but not all of the pictures are my own as some of mine haven’t flowered yet.

Although the best known member, Acanthus itself, it hardy in this country - the Acanthus family is mainly tropical. For me they fall into three groups. There are those that have Acanthus type flowers, the Thunbergia genus, and the rest.

Group 1 – Acanthus type flowers.
This group has flowers, consisting of spike and showy coloured bracts with the flowers themselves often being less prominent. They are all evergreen, tender perennials.


Aphelandra squarosa – Zebra plant

This comes from Brazil, where it likes it hot and humid. The flowers themselves are yellow and you can see one or two poking out from the more prominent yellow bracts. It can grow to about 2 feet, and like many in the family it has decorative leaves. There seems to be a number of other showy species in this genus including sinclariana with red bracts and red flowers, but they are rarely seen.


Beloperone guttata – Shrimp Plant

This is often seen as a house plant and can flower for a very long period. In fact, if it’s not allowed a period of rest it can flower itself to death. It’s a sub-shrub from Mexico where it can grow from 2 to 5 feet. There are a number of cultivars with flowers ranging from yellow to this rich brick red.


Crossandra infundibuliformis – firecracker flower

This one comes from India and Sri Lanka. The flower is a bit different, but has the same spike, though it’s difficult to see as this picture was taken from above. It’s a small evergreen shrub, up to 3 feet, with lovely shiny leaves, and is long flowering.


Justicia carnea – Brazilian Plume Flower

As its English name suggests this comes from Brazil. It used to be popular as a Victorian conservatory plant, but isn’t often seen now even though its one of the most spectacular. It has beautiful green leaves with a purple underside. It’s a shrub that can grow up to 6 feet. Cuttings are easy; last autumn I broke off a branch by mistake and hastily made it into 3 cuttings. All rooted and all have flowered this year, the above picture being of one of them.


Pachystachys lutea – Lollipop Plant

This comes from Peru, and is very long flowering. The above picture was taken in about February, but it’s still in flower today and hasn’t taken a rest. It makes an excellent pot plant and will grow up to 2 feet or so, but it’s a difficult plant to find. There is a similar red version, P coccinea, which is even more elusive.


Porphyrocoma pohliana – Brazilian Fireworks Photo: tropicalfoliagegarden

Some sources say that this comes from Brazil, but other sources say South Africa as it’s also known as the South African Acanthus. It’s only short – about 10 inches. But like the others in this section, a tender evergreen. It’s reputed to be able to flower for a very long period. This is another plant that’s difficult to find – I have never seen it on sale, but you can get seed fairly easily. My own plant, grown from seed this year, has just started to show a flower spike – but the picture above is a better illustration.

 

Group 2 – others.
These don’t obviously have the showy bracts and flower spikes of the previous group.


Justicia rizzinii – Brazilian Fuchsia

This is a dwarf evergreen shrub from Brazil growing to between 2 and 4 feet. It started flowering for me in March, which was lovely as there wasn’t much else in flower, although sources say that it is winter flowering. Like the others this is tender and needs some winter protection, but I understand it might survive outside is a sheltered spot in the warmest parts of the country. Justicia is a large genus and recently some of others, such as Beloperone and Pachystachys, have been incorporated into it though these are still generally known by their original names.


Fittonia verschaffeltii – Nerve Plant

The red one on the left is var. peracei and the one on the right is var. argyroneura. Whilst they are very pretty and there are a number of cultivars sold as house plants, they are said to be difficult to grow. They come from Peru and need higher humidity that is usually available in a house. However they should enjoy my garden room where the humidity is often 90% or more. The leaves of F. albivensis, another species, are chewed by Amazon Indians as they are hallucinogenic.


The Acanthus relationship can be seen in this picture from Wikipedia of the Fittonia flower stalk. Though its rarely seen when grown inside.


Hypoestes phyllostachya – Polka Dot Plant

Another attractive foliage plant, this time from Tropical Africa. These are said to be an easier house plant as they tolerate lower humidity levels. Whilst Fittonia is small, only about 6 inches, and slow growing, Hypoestes is larger, at up to 2 feet, and faster growing. I am continually having to prune mine to keep them within bounds.

 

Fantastic Peter, I didn't realise those were all related.
Most I cant even think about growing, but you are doing well.

 

Group 3 – Thunbergia.
This third group consists of Thunbergia species which, until recently, I never realized were members of the Acanthus family. The connection is not obvious. Many come from Africa and others from the Far East. Most, but not all, are climbers.


Thunbergia alata – Black Eyed Susan

This must be the best known species and although it’s a tender perennial it’s commonly grown as an annual in this country, where it can reach 8 or even 10 feet in a season. It comes from Tropical parts of Africa down to South Africa. Because of its popularity there are many cultivars available. The above is called ‘Orange Beauty’ and is a particularly intense orange. But there are many other shades from pale yellow to dirty red that don’t seem to be as attractive.


Thunbergia battiscombei – Blue Glory

This also comes from Africa, but is one of the few that is more of a bush than a climber. It can reach 4 or 5 feet high and can bush out to 6 feet wide. It’s a most glorious shade of dark blue, which the picture doesn’t accurately reproduce, and one of the more unusual varieties.


Thunbergia grandiflora - Bengal Clock Vine photo: onlineplantguide

This is a vigorous climber, up to 20 feet or more, from India and the Far East. It’s generally acclaimed to be a very showy and beautiful climber, with flowers that are larger that alata and the others species. There is a white variety, but blue seems to be the more attractive. Reports indicate that the warmer it is the better it flowers.


Thunbergia gregorii – Orange Clock Vine photo: Dick Culbert

Again from Africa, this is similar to T. alata but without the dark centre. But whilst alata often comes in paler or more washed out shades, this has been described on one site with “The amount of colour that it can put out is unsurpassed by any other vine that we know of”. It can grow to 10 or more feet and like quite a few Thunbergias it will probably overwinter if just kept frost free. My own small plant has only produced one flower so far so this photo is from the internet.


Thunbergis mysorensis – Mysore Clock Vine photo: tropicsphere

This is an altogether different climber. It comes from the mountains in southern India, which explains why it doesn’t need quite as much heat as you might otherwise assume from its location. However, I doubt that it would survive the winter being only frost free. I am grateful to LongK for the introduction to this, as it’s an unusual Thunbergia which has been described as one of the most beautiful vines in the world. The flowers are quite different from the others. They dangle down from the foliage on elongated inflorescences, often 3 feet or more long, It’s not as vigorous as some of the others but can still reach 20 feet. So mine still has 19 feet to go.


Thunbergia natalensis – Natal Bluebell photo: wordpress.com

Obviously from South Africa, this is a dwarf shrub growing to 3 feet or so. In South Africa it occurs naturally along forest margins, in bush and in grassland. It occupies higher summer rainfall areas and is adapted to dry winters by going dormant. I am currently growing this from seed

 

I went to OBG today and discovered Whitfieldia longifolia....................


Thunbergia mysorensis was looking good as usual!

Apart from Acanthus mollis the only other member of this family that I can think that I'm growing is Thunbergia gregorii...................

 

Thanks LongK. Whitfeldia is totally new to me so I have had a good Google. I can see the Acanthacea connection. The blooms are described as consisting of white bracts with a protruding white bloom.

That's a beautiful picture of your T. gregorii - I am very jealous. As I said above my young plant only produced one flower this year. I was so convinced that once started there would be lots more, that I didn't bother to take a photo, now I wish I had.

 

Here's another new one that I came across the other day...................

http://www.kartuz.com/pc/80193/7RFPL/Ruspolia+hypocrateriformis.html

That is exactly one more than my seed grown spare has produced so far!!!

 

Thanks for the intro to Ruspolia (above) - it looks quite cute. But this is what one site said.

Ele é tão raro que é difícil mesmo encontrar informações sobre ele no Google.

And I have to agree with them - its often the case.

Actually I had to translate it first ' "its so rare its difficult to even find information about it on Google". Sunshine seeds did have seed in 2009, but this guy lists it now http://www.brazilplants.com/Seeds.html - however there is no price or info on whether he has it in stock - you have to e-mail him.

Even so its another list of seeds that I shall have a look at.

 

That is exactly where I found it! Coincidences abound! I used Top Tropicals as I was looking for better photos/info.
Mauro Pixanto (Brazil Plants) has a good rep on another forum that I frequent.

http://www.brazilplants.com/bignoniaceae/pyrostegia-venusta.html

http://www.brazilplants.com/apocynaceae/allamanda-cathartica.html

He is also listing Lobelia excelsa, Lobelia fistulosa and Lobelia polyphylla.