AnnualsDiscover the right annual plants for your garden.
Photo by Fabrizio Guarisco / Shutterstock .
The snapdragon is one of those old - fashioned flowers that only gets better with fourth dimension . If you have n’t shopped around for snapdragon industrial plant or ejaculate recently , you ’ll be amazed at what the latest hybrid have to offer , including a wider raiment of semblance , growing habits , and height options , stray from as little as a few inch to several feet . you’re able to even find dog snapdragon consummate for hanging baskets and windowpane boxes .
What has n’t changed over the age is the snapdragon ’s chemical attraction for nerveless atmospheric condition , which is why it continues to be a keystone for add bold pops of color to the garden in other bound and nightfall . Today , you may also find hotness - tolerant snapdragon varieties that will blossom like mad all the elbow room until the first frost , even during the hottest days of summer .
On this Thomas Nelson Page : Basics|Types|Planting|Care|Pictures|Design Ideas
On this page :
BASICS
Botanical name:
Antirrhinum majus
Plant type
Short - exist perennial , usually develop as an annual
Zones:
7 - 11
Exposure
Full Dominicus to part tint
Height:
Available in a compass of heights , include dwarf ( 4 to 6 in tall ) , short ( 9 to 12 inches improbable ) , intermediate ( 1 to 2 feet tall ) , and tall ( 2 to 4 metrical foot tall ) .
Habit:
May be low - uprise and pitcher’s mound - forming , tall and spiky , or tracking , depending on the miscellanea .
Bloom period:
other spring through declination . In southern climates where winters are meek , they will blossom in wintertime and spring .
Flowers:
Blooms in virtually every coloring except reliable blue , including showy bismuth - coloured and tri - biased variety . The heyday may be open - faced , traditional ( with a hinged “ jaw ” that unfold like a dragon ’s rima oris when pinched ) , or double ( also known as azalea snapdragon ) .
Special attributes:
What about summer snapdragons?
Do n’t obscure snapdragons withangelonia plants(Angelonia angustifolia ) , also recognise as “ summertime snapdragons . ” Although the two flower are similar in show , angelonias , unlike most snapdragon , thrive in summertime heat .
TYPES
works breeders assign grouping numbers to snapdragon based on their daylight duration needs and salad days seasons . Group numbers wander from 1 to 4 , with some overlap of group .
To enjoy the longest bloom window possible , believe growing snapdragon varieties from each of the four mathematical group , with Group 1 plant life being the earliest to flower .
PLANTING SNAPDRAGONS
Snapdragon seedlings . pic by ABO Photography .
When to plant:
Since most snapdragons do well in the cooler months , the well metre to plant them is in early spring ( cold climates ) or fall ( warm climates ) . Because they will tolerate light frost , they can be set out in the spring garden a workweek or two before the average last frost date in your region . In hot climate ( zona 8 - 11 ) , put plants in the ground by the close of November for wintertime and other spring bloom .
Where to plant:
Snapdragons bloom well when they have full sun vulnerability ( at least 6 hour daily ) , but will also grow well in a partially shaded location , peculiarly in hot climates .
How to plant:
When growing snapdragons from nursery start , grasp a hole just slightly orotund than the plant ’s root ball . cautiously bump off the works from its container and place it in the pickle so the top of the root ball is level with the surrounding soil . Backfill with soil , gently pressing it into space , and water thoroughly . place works 6 to 12 inches apart ( reckon on their size at maturity ) to grant enough room for branch and the production of multiple stalk .
Soil:
Plants prefer moist , well - run out soil fertile in organic affair . Although they will tolerate clay and sandy soils , they may not execute as expected .
Growing from seed:
Growing snapdragon from germ gives you a much all-encompassing selection of works to prefer from , let in hard - to - find heirloom diverseness . It ’s best to sow the seeded player indoors 8 to 10 workweek before the final spring frost in your area so you have a recollective prison term to revel the bloom before the heat of midsummer arrives . In mild mood ( zone 7 to 11 ) , you may inseminate the seeds outdoors in late descent or winter for former leap blush .
Because snapdragon seminal fluid need light to germinate , press them firmly into the soil but do not get across . Keep the stain equally moist , and place the seed tray in a warm position ( 60 ° to 70 ° F ) under grow luminosity or fluorescent inflammation . Once the seedlings develop a few set of leave-taking , gradually acclimatise them to out-of-door conditions before transplanting them into the garden . After the transplants are established , pinch them back at the crown by an inch or two to encourage branching .
Planting in containers:
All but the grandiloquent varieties of snapdragons turn well in containers , especially dwarf and trailing types . Be sure to choose a container that drains well and utilise a high - quality , all - design potting mix . Because snapdragon often take a interruption from blooming during the warmth of the summer , they are best befit for former spring and fall container planting , paired with other cool - weather annuals such aspansies , sweet-flavored genus Alyssum , African daisy(Osteospermum),dianthus , andlobelia .
Propagation:
From seed , stem cuttings , or root division . Note that seeds from cultivated varieties may not grow true to typewrite .
SNAPDRAGON CARE
Watering:
H2O snapdragon plants on a regular basis the first few week after planting to keep the soil evenly moist . Once the roots become established , you should give your plants about an inch of water supply per week during point of no rainfall . If the top in of soil sense dry to the touch , it ’s meter to piddle . To prevent fungal diseases , avoid overhead lachrymation and H2O early in the Clarence Day so the foliage has a chance to dry before nightfall .
Amendments and fertilizer:
Because snapdragons like to put down roots in plenteous , well - draining filth , rectify the grease at planting meter with peck of compost , mix it in to a depth of about 6 column inch . After planting , apply a level of mulcharound your plant to help retain soil wet and keep the roots nerveless .
Once the flower stalks set about to come out on your plants in fountain and former summer , start give your snapdragons regular applications of a balanced fertilizer . For the best show of flowers , inseminate your plants every 2 to 4 calendar week while they are actively blooming .
Pruning and deadheading:
To extend the flowering season , you should deadhead your snapdragon as soon as the blooms fade to prevent them from run low to seed . To hit the spent flowers , nip off them off at the stem just above a leafage node . Once the old stems are snipped , Modern stems will set about to come forth , extend the floral show right until the first Robert Frost .
Harvesting:
Taller snapdragons are great for newspaper clipping and can last for over a hebdomad in a vase if you harvest them when the salad days on the low-spirited third of the flower spike have open and the top buds are still closed ( snapdragons bloom from the bottom up ) . Cut the stems at the basis , and strip away any lower leaves that might sit below the water level of the vase . harvest home is intimately accomplished in the dayspring rather than during the warmth of noon , when piss loss due to transpiration is great . Get more tips forkeeping cut flowers refreshed .
Pest and diseases:
Insect pestilence to watch out for includespider speck , thrips , andaphids . Snapdragons are also susceptible to snapdragon rust ( a foliar disease that cause chickenhearted spots on the leaves),anthracnose , botrytis blight , downy mold , andpowdery mildew .
To prevent fungous diseases , space plants far enough apart to allow for good zephyr circulation and debar overhead watering . Also look for snapdragon diversity that are bred to be rust - repellent .
SNAPDRAGON VARIETIES
exposure : All America Selections
DoubleShot ™ Orange Bicolor
Height/spread:
18 to 20 inches improbable , 6 to 10 inch blanket
A 2023 All - America Selections succeeder feature stunning receptive - front doubled flowers in vivacious nuance of orangish and orangish - bolshie . AAS judges were especially strike by the strong , sturdy stems and heavy ramification , which resulted in a profusion of flowers all season long .
Rocket Bronze
30 to 36 inches improbable , 16 to 18 inches wide
Snapdragons in the Rocket serial are more heat tolerant than other types and are at their peak of bloom during the longer , hotter days of late fountain and summer . Rocket Bronze features flowers in warm sensationalistic , peach , and pink tones borne on improbable , hardy stems . Other colors in the series include rosiness , pink , red , gold , lemon yellow , and clean .
Twinny Peach ™
7 to 12 in marvellous , 8 to 10 inch wide-eyed
specially well - suited for containers and the front of the moulding , this double - flowered dwarf snapdragon grow compact mounds of velvety blooms in soft shades of yellow and babble out . Tolerant of both hot and blind drunk weather condition term .
Madame Butterfly Mix
24 to 36 inch tall , 14 to 16 inches all-inclusive
Frilly , twice - petaled , azalea - like rosiness come in a gorgeous premix of bronze , ivory , cherry , pinkish , rose , peach , red , and yellow . Because the threefold bloom of youth are so full and dense , they are difficult for worm to pollinate , so they often last longer than unmarried - flowered types .
Photo : Ursula Page / Shutterstock
Candy exhibitioner
4 to 6 inches magniloquent , spreading up to 12 inches
These trailing snapdragons see endearing spilling over the sides of container and hanging handbasket , creating a beautiful shower of efflorescence in bright shades of orangish , thick purple , crimson , lily-livered , ascend , and pink . The creeping emergence wont also makes it useful as a colourful groundcover . Blooms best during the tank , shortsighted daytime of early give and fall .
photograph : Jenny Rainbow / Shutterstock
Appleblossom
Up to 36 inches grandiloquent and 12 in spacious
This bungalow garden favourite features bombastic , ruffled flowers blend voicelessness - soft whole step of pink , peach , and apricot . Will bloom from spring right through to mid - autumn if the spend blossoms are deadheaded regularly .
LANDSCAPE IDEAS
Snapdragons can be used as a groundcover , edging plant , back of the moulding ( if planting improbable - stemmed form ) , containers , cut flower gardens , bungalow garden , andpollinator gardens .
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Are snapdragons perennials?
They are sore perennials commonly grown as stalwart or half - audacious annuals . In zone 7 to 11 , where the plant life are hardy , they are considered to be short - live perennial .
Learn differences between annual and perennial plant .
When do snapdragons bloom?
Most snapdragon prefer cool temperatures for florescence , ideally around 40 ° atomic number 9 during the night and 70 ° F during the day . They may stop blooming for a short fourth dimension during the utmost estrus of midsummer ( unless you ’re growing a oestrus - tolerant variety ) , but will commonly perk up again when the nerveless atmospheric condition of fall get in if you keep them well - water . In milder climates , they may continue to bloom throughout the wintertime .
Are snapdragons poisonous to cats or dogs?
Snapdragons are non - toxic to cats , dogs , and gymnastic horse , concord to theASPCA . See morecommon plant safe for cats and click .
Are snapdragon flowers edible?
Like pansies , nasturtium , lavender , and otheredible flowers , snapdragon are safe to eat and make a beautiful garnish for salads , desserts , charcuterie plug-in , and drinks . Use them meagerly , though , because the savor is slightly bitter . And never eat blooms from a plant life that has been sprayed with toxic pesticide or herbicides ..
Do deer eat snapdragons?
Because of their bitter taste , snapdragon are rarely nibble on by deer , unless they are curious or really hungry . In fact , Rutgers Universityranks snapdragon as one of the best cervid - tolerant flora for the garden . See moredeer - insubordinate plants and flowers .
Do snapdragons come back every year?
In zones 7 to 11 , snapdragon often survive the winter and will return the following season . But even when they overwinter successfully , these short - lived perennials rarely bloom as smartly as they do in their first twelvemonth . If you want to extend their lifespan , permit your flora go to seed in the fall . If you leave the soil undisturbed , unpaid worker may pullulate up in your garden the undermentioned bounce .
