A Slice of Texas

Hadrian's Arch at the ancient Roman city of Jerash, Jordan.

One of the things I love most about traveling is discovering those little details I would have otherwise walked right past.

Jerash Ancient Column - Acanthus leaves

While wandering through the ancient Roman city of Jerash, Jordan, a local guide stopped and pointed to the tops of the massive stone columns. At first, all I saw was beautiful carving. Then he explained that the leaf carved into nearly every column represented a real plant that grew throughout the region.

It actually took me a minute to understand what he meant. I kept looking for a bird while he patiently repeated the name of the plant in broken English. Once I realized what he was pointing to, I couldn't stop seeing those beautifully carved leaves throughout the ruins for the rest of the day.

That one comment sent me on a mission after I returned home.

Why would an ordinary plant be carved onto temples, theaters, and public buildings for nearly 2,000 years?

Acanthus - Bear's Breeches in bloom

The Plant Behind the Stone

The plant is called acanthus, often known as Bear's Breeches.

Once you recognize its deeply cut, curling leaves, you'll begin seeing it everywhere throughout the ancient Roman world. It became the signature decoration of the elegant Corinthian columns, one of the most recognizable styles of classical architecture.

Rather than carving random decorations, Roman craftsmen carefully chiseled hundreds of acanthus leaves into the tops of their columns, turning stone into what almost looks like living plants.

Acanthus - One of the most admired plants in ancient times

Why Was It So Important?

The acanthus wasn't worshipped, but it was admired.

To the ancient Greeks and Romans, it came to symbolize:

Life and renewal
Endurance
Beauty
Prosperity
Skilled craftsmanship

Its bold, flowing leaves also made the perfect design for decorating the tops of towering columns, where sunlight created dramatic shadows across every carved leaf.

No wonder the Romans used it everywhere.

I'm hugging one of the ancient columns

More Than Just Decoration

What surprised me most was learning that acanthus wasn't simply beautiful—it was useful.

For centuries, herbalists used the leaves and roots in traditional medicine.

Historically, it was used as a poultice for:

Minor wounds
Burns
Bruises
Insect bites
Swelling
Aching joints

Modern research has found that the plant contains natural compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, although it isn't commonly used as an herbal remedy today.

Even after nearly 2,000 years, the acanthus leaves carved into this Corinthian capital remain one of the most recognizable symbols of Roman architecture in the ancient city of Jerash.

Acanthus was more than an architectural decoration. The plant appears in ancient herbal writings, including Dioscorides’ De Materia Medica and Pliny the Elder’s Natural History. Pliny described both a thorny and a smooth variety and recorded the traditional use of the roots for burns, sprains and other injuries. These were ancient remedies rather than treatments proven by modern clinical medicine, but they show that the plant was familiar and useful to people living in the Roman world.

I'm standing next to a carved leaf

Does It Grow in Texas?

That was my next question.

To my surprise...

Yes!

Several species of acanthus grow well in Central Texas.

The best varieties appreciate:

Morning sunshine
Afternoon shade
Well-drained soil
Occasional watering while getting established

Once mature, they're surprisingly hardy and drought tolerant.

I'm seriously considering adding one to my own garden—not only because it's beautiful, but because every time I'd see it, I'd be reminded of walking the ancient streets of Jerash.

I also captured a short panoramic video while standing among the ruins. It gives a much better feel for the scale of Jerash than photographs alone.

VIDEO - Ancient City of Jerash

Jerash flourished because it sat at the crossroads of the ancient world, where travelers and merchants passed between Jerusalem, Damascus, Egypt, Arabia, and the Mediterranean.

Ancient ruins in Jerash, Jordan

Looking at Ancient Ruins a Little Differently

One simple conversation with a local completely changed the way I looked at those old columns.

Instead of seeing weathered stone, I began noticing living history carved into every capital.

It's amazing how one plant connected the architecture of ancient Jordan with a garden that could grow right here in Texas.

Sometimes the smallest details become the memories that stay with us the longest.

Lizard in the ruins

Jordanian turtle

Jerash, Jordan, is one of the world’s best-preserved ancient Roman cities, known for its monumental arches, temples, theaters, and long streets lined with carved stone columns.

One day, I hope to have an acanthus growing in my own Central Texas garden. Every time I see those distinctive leaves, they'll remind me of walking beneath the towering Roman columns of Jerash. It's amazing that a plant carved into stone nearly 2,000 years ago can still thrive today—even here in Texas