A botanical plate from Hortus Eystettensis (1613), one of the most important Florilegia of the early modern period, published by Basilius Besler.

Scientific Name: Acanthus Spinosus
Identification: Spiny Bear’s Breech
Family: Acanthaceae

Properties: Associated with endurance, protection, and disciplined beauty, Acanthus spinosus was long admired for its strength of form and architectural presence. In early botanical and symbolic traditions, it represented resilience and guarded vitality, its thorned leaves conveying defense and structure while concealing an underlying order. Celebrated as a bridge between nature and design, the acanthus came to symbolize harmony between organic growth and human craft, embodying permanence, balance, and the quiet authority of classical form.