Snapdragon - Garden Basics - Flower - Annual
(Antirrhinum majus)
Snapdragons are a particular favorite of children who
like to pinch the tiny individual blossoms and make the "dragon
mouth" open and close. Their large, blossom-laden flower
heads are faintly fragrant and come in in a wide assortment of
bright colors. The vertical flower spikes, opening gradually from
the bottom to the top, are available in two heights: dwarf varieties
grow to about 10 inches while the taller types grow to a height
of 18-24 inches. A vareity that grows up to 5 feet has been developed,
but it must be staked. A single snapdragon plant may produce seven
or eight blossom spikes in the course of a summer.
Snapdragons make excellent cutflowers and excel in beds and
at the front of borders. Gardeners used to be less than enthusiastic
about snapdragons as cut flowers because blossoms tended to
"shatter"--drop off shortly after being fertilized
by bees, but plant breeders have developed shatterproof strains.
Snapdragons flourish in well-fertilized soil and full sun.
Sow seeds indoors eight weeks before the last frost. Moving
seedlings outdoors as early as a the bed can be worked. They
will tolerate frost. In Zones 8-10, seedlings started in a sheltered
seedbed may be moved outdoors any time in the fall for winter
and spring flowering. Plants should stand from 6 to 12 inches
apart, depending on the size of the variety planted. Seedlings
purchased from a garden center where conditions are carefully
controled will usually bloom earlier than those started at home.
If possible, choose rust resistant varieties. When the plants
are 2 to 4 inches tall, pinch off the stem tips if shorter but
more abundant flower spikes are desired. Then, as the flowers
mature, use them freely for bouquets; the cutting will force
plants to produce additional stems that will bloom later in
the season. These plants will benefit from deadheading, which
will prolong their flowering period.
The cultivar shown is "little darling".
- Type
annual -
Propagation
seeds -
Light
full sun, part shade -
Flower Color
various -
Bloom Time
summer -
Height
10 inches (dwarf) 18-24 inches (standard) -
Width
6-12 inches -
Soil Requirements
neutral pH, average moisture, well drained, -
Zones
all -
Uses
cutting bed, border
