Acanthus 'White Lips' is a beautifully cut, more compact take on the classic bear’s breech, offering all the drama of the genus without quite so much elbowing for space. Reaching around 70cm in flower, Acanthus 'White Lips' forms a handsome clump of long, deeply lobed basal foliage that looks architectural from the moment it unfurls. Then, from early summer well into late summer, upright spires rise above the leaves carrying crisp white blooms topped with rich purple hoods. The contrast is delicious, cool, clean and just a touch theatrical,making Acanthus 'White Lips' a superb choice for bringing structure and detail to sunny borders, gravel gardens or more formal planting schemes.

Despite its refined appearance, Acanthus 'White Lips' has a wonderfully robust character and settles in happily where the soil is reasonably well drained and the sun can warm its roots. It is especially useful when you love the bold foliage and vertical flower spikes of larger acanthus varieties but need something more manageable. Repeated through a border or given a starring role on its own, Acanthus 'White Lips' lends an elegant, almost sculptural quality that pairs beautifully with airy grasses, salvias and soft Mediterranean planting. There is a quiet confidence to Acanthus hungaricus 'White Lips'. It never shouts, but it is never overlooked either.