Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →

Snapdragon Facts

Snapdragons are a popular flowers. Children like them because they can pinch off the individual blossoms and make the "dragon mouth" open and close. Adults like them because they bloom in a variety of colors, including purple, bronze and crimson, and are faintly fragrant. The plant does very well in beds and borders. It may wilt in the summer heat, but it perks back up as the weather cools.

Size

Snapdragons have vertical flower spikes that start opening at the bottom and move to the top. They are available in two heights: dwarf varieties grow to be about 10 inches and taller varieties grow to an average of 18 to 24 inches. One variety grows to 5 feet but must be staked.

  • Snapdragons are a popular flowers.
  • Children like them because they can pinch off the individual blossoms and make the "dragon mouth" open and close.

Growing requirements

Snapdragons require well-drained soil with a neutral pH--not too alkaline or acidic. They need average moisture and grow best in full sun. If the soil is nutrient poor, a general purpose fertilizer should be added prior to planting.

Planting

Plant snapdragons outside after the last frost. Fertilize once a month to encourage the best growth. Flowers begin blooming in June. Once the flowers have died, cut the plant back to 6 inches; this will encourage new blooms.

  • Snapdragons require well-drained soil with a neutral pH--not too alkaline or acidic.
  • Once the flowers have died, cut the plant back to 6 inches; this will encourage new blooms.

Considerations

Snapdragons are very pretty cut flowers. Older adults may remember a time when the blossoms used to fall off shortly after the bees fertilized them, limiting snapdragons' appeal as cut flowers. However, breeders have created snapdragons with much longer shelf lives in recent years.

Expert Insight

Snapdragons are hardy and can handle a heavy frost. If the flowers are still blooming into the fall, leave them be until they die on their own.

Important Facts On The Snapdragon Flower

Snapdragons grow best in cool weather in sites with full sun exposure and organically rich, well-drained soil. Hummingbirds and butterflies love fragrant snapdragons, which blossom in white, red, pink, orange, yellow, purple and bicolor, and in both pastel shades and brilliant hues. They are frost tolerant and easily propagate by seed. Tall snapdragons measure from 30 to 48 inches in height. The “Madame Butterfly” variety sports double, azalea-like blossoms and grows to 3 feet tall. Tall snapdragons are grown along back borders and in cutting gardens and may require staking to prevent breakage. A fungal disease called sooty mold develops on the honeydew, causing the plant to turn black.

  • Snapdragons are very pretty cut flowers.
  • Tall snapdragons are grown along back borders and in cutting gardens and may require staking to prevent breakage.

Related Articles

Flowers That Start With R
Flowers That Start With R
Plants for the South Side of a House
Plants for the South Side of a House
How to Harvest Snapdragon Seeds
How to Harvest Snapdragon Seeds
What Flowers Are in Season in July?
What Flowers Are in Season in July?
How to Prepare Aster Flowers for Winter
How to Prepare Aster Flowers for Winter
The History of Snapdragons
The History of Snapdragons
The Importance of Rose Flowers
The Importance of Rose Flowers
Snapdragons
Snapdragons
How to Keep Dianthus Blooming
How to Keep Dianthus Blooming
How to Care for a Marigold Plant
How to Care for a Marigold Plant
How to Care for the Gaillardia Indian Blanket Flower
How to Care for the Gaillardia Indian Blanket Flower
Cleome Flowers
Cleome Flowers
Garden Guides
×