Acanthus (Acanthus syriacus)
The acanthus is a perennial herb or small shrub that looks similar to a thistle. It grows about 0.9 meter (3 feet) tall. This plant is possibly mentioned in Job 30:7 and Zephaniah 2:9. The acanthus is a common weed found throughout countries in the East. For thousands of years, artists have used the distinctive shape of acanthus leaves as a model for decorative scrolls and leaf designs in art.