The bear’s breeches is an impressive indigenous plant which is not appreciated locally as much as it should be.

It is a perennial species native to the Mediterranean. In several countries, where it is not an indigenous species, it is cultivated as a decorative garden plant.

It is said that the Romans took it with them to Britain and planted it in their gardens. A couple of years ago, I visited a Roman site in southern England which included a Roman garden planted with this decorative species.

Bear’s breeches grows from an underground rhizome. In autumn it produces several large leaves and the large purple-streaked white flowers appear in spring.

The flowers are an effective gatekeeper that allow only large bees, such as the carpenter bee, to prise open the petals and reach the nectar or pollen inside. They restrict access to a small number of species.

The leaves of the plant were imitated in Corinthian capitals in Greco-Roman architecture and design... Similar designs can still be found in modern Maltese buildings, particularly church columns

Some flowers have evolved specialised structures that allow only one species of bee to visit them and collect nectar and pollen. Any pollen collected on the bees’ bodies is carried only to flowers of the same species. This strategy avoids wastage of pollen.

The scientific name of the bear’s breeches, Acanthus mollis, comes from two Greek words meaning ‘spiny’, which refers either to a spiny bract on the flower, or to the spiny-edged leaves of some Acanthus species. Mollis is definitely used because of the softness of the large leaves.

The Maltese name is ħannewija. The English name is a literal translation of the Old Latin words branca ursini, which was first used in England in the mid-17th century.

The leaves of the plant were imitated in Corinthian capitals in Greco-Roman architecture and design which became popular in the fourth century. Similar designs can still be found in modern Maltese buildings, particularly church columns.

In 17th-century Europe, the bear’s breeches was believed to have many medicinal uses but these have been mostly lost or forgotten.

It is a pity that this plant is much sought after as a garden plant in other countries but hardly known in Malta where it is indigenous. It can easily be grown from seed and can be used in both public and private gardens and to decorate public areas and roadside verges.

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