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Antirrhinum spp.

snapdragons

Plantaginaceae

Mediterranean Basin and western North America

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Attracts Hummingbirds Deer Resistant Fragrant (light)Container Friendly

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium

Overview

Antirrhinum is a genus of about 20 to 40 annual and short-lived perennial herbs and subshrubs in the family Plantaginaceae, known as snapdragons. Plants form upright, branching stems 6-48 inches (15-120 cm) tall, with narrow, lance-shaped leaves. The flowers are tubular and two-lipped, with a closed throat that springs open when squeezed at the sides, the feature behind the common name. Flower color spans white, yellow, orange, pink, red, and purple, and the blooms are carried in dense upright spikes that open from the bottom upward. The garden snapdragon, A. majus, and its many cultivars are the commonly grown forms, while wild species are smaller and grow on rocky ground. The genus is native to rocky and disturbed sites in the Mediterranean region, western North America, and other warm-temperate areas. Snapdragons grow as cool-season plants, flowering most freely in spring and autumn and slowing in summer heat, and are usually grown as annuals or biennials. Plants tolerate light frost but are damaged by hard freezes. Rust and other fungal diseases affect crowded plantings in humid weather.

Native Range

Antirrhinum is native to the Mediterranean Basin, with additional species in western North America and parts of western Europe and North Africa. Plants grow naturally on cliffs, rocky slopes, old walls, and disturbed ground. A. majus originates in the western Mediterranean.

Suggested Uses

Grown in beds, borders, and containers for upright spring and autumn color, and widely cut for arrangements. Dwarf cultivars are used as edging and in window boxes, while tall cultivars are grown for cut flowers. The flowers draw bees, which force open the closed blooms.

How to Identify

Identify Antirrhinum by the two-lipped tubular flowers with a closed mouth that opens when pinched at the sides, set in upright spikes. The leaves are narrow and smooth-edged, arranged alternately up the stem. After flowering, rounded seed capsules with small pores release tiny seed.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height6" - 4'

Width/Spread6" - 1'6"

Colors

Flower Colors

red

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~6 weeks

Spring Fall

Flowering occurs mainly in spring and again in autumn in mild climates, with a pause in midsummer heat. In cool-summer areas plants bloom through the season. Spikes open from the base upward over 3-5 weeks, and removing spent spikes brings a second flush.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

white, yellow, orange, pink, red, or purple

Foliage Description

green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Antirrhinum species grow in full sun in moist, fertile, well-drained soil with a pH near 6.0-7.0. The genus flowers in cool weather and slows in summer heat, so plants are set out in early spring or autumn. Snapdragons tolerate light frost, and in mild regions autumn-sown plants overwinter and bloom in spring. Regular watering and feeding support continuous flowering, while overhead watering in humid weather encourages rust disease. Taller cultivars need staking in exposed sites. Most are grown fresh each year, though some perennate in zones 7-10.

Pruning

Removing faded flower spikes prolongs blooming and limits self-seeding. Pinching young plants when 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) tall produces bushier growth and more spikes. Plants are cut back after the main flush to encourage rebloom.