Antirrhinum Majus Snapdragon Summer Flower Plant
SNAPDRAGON
Snapdragons grow naturally in the warm south-west of Europe. The plant became a favorite in cottage gardens at an early date and is very easy to cultivate as an annual. The original tall cultivars were grown mainly from cuttings, because, if sown, the selected characteristics were lost. Nowadays, there are more varieties that will also produce uniform plants from seed. Apart from the tall varieties (about 39 in high) that are cultivated for cutting and as border plants, there are also intermediate-sized snapdragons (about 20 in high) as well as dwarf bedding and container ones (about 8 in high) in all kinds of colors. The two latter groups are often referred to as Antirrhinum majus nanum.
The flowers, particularly those of the tall and intermediate varieties, are a remarkable shape, resembling that of a dragon’s jaws. If you press the sides, the “jaws” open. The flowers are pollinated by bumblebees, which are stron enough find to their way in through the re silient lips. In small-flowered cultivars, how ever, the opening is often too small, in whicl case the bumblebees break in by biting a holi in the side of the flower in order to suck out thf nectar. Most snapdragons have a strong, sweei scent.
It is best to sow snapdragons indoors early in the year, or out-of-doors from April onwards. The seed requires very scant covering, as snapdragons germinate in daylight. The ideal temperature for germination is about 64 °F. After germination, it is preferable to grow them on in cooler conditions so that they develop a handsome, compact shape. Pinching out the growing tips encourages the plants to branch out. It is possible to sow in late summer but, in northwestern Europe, seedlings will need protection against severe frost just to bring them into flower a little earlier.
Keep the seeds moist at all times but, to prevent grey mold, do not let them become soaking wet. In May, forced seedlings are planted out in nutritive, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil.
Plants grown from seed begin to flower at the end of June and continue to produce flowers until well into August, particularly if the stems are cut off once the flowers are over. Flowering plants are on sale in May.
With an average height of 14 in, the snapdragons in the Crown Series are in between the dwarf and the intermediate varieties. The size is suitable for flower beds, but particularly for containers. The plants branch out nicely and flower abundantly over a long period. The time required for bringing them into flower from seed is also important for commercial cultivation and, in the case of the Crown Series, that period is shorter than it is for other varieties. It is no wonder that Antirrhinum ‘Crown Light Mauve,’ which was introduced in 1999, was awarded a Fleuros-elect Quality Mark. Private individuals cannot obtain seed of the Crown Series, but pot-grown plants are on sale in spring.
The dwarf varieties have lost much of the beauty of snapdragons. Their shape in particular has deteriorated. The pointed spikes of the original species and early cultivars have been replaced by a cluster of flowers of indeterminate form. In the case of the Hob-bit Series, the flowers have also lost their characteristic shape: it is no longer possible to pinch the dragon’s cheeks to make it open its jaws because they are always open, in an everlasting yawn.
One of the advantages of these miniatures is the possibility of filling flower-beds and containers with striking colors. Those of the Hobbit Series vary from deep red to yellow and white by way of pink and orange. Snapdragons are rarely found in the more sophisticated gardens of genuine plant lovers. The colors are usually too bright, but an exception is sometimes made for Antirrhinum majus ‘Black Prince.’ The dark green foliage of this ancient cultivar is tinged with deep red and the almost equally dark stems bear beautifully formed “dragon’s heads” in deepest, velvety red. The plants can grow up to 20 in tall and are therefore very suitable for cutting and for a position in the middle of a border. Particularly in red borders, their muted colors soften the more striking shades of red and pinkish red.
By sowing in January, growers of potted plants can take their flowering Coronette snapdragons to auction by mid-April. These plants are suitable for pots and other containers, but they will flower just as profusely in beds and borders. The Coronette Series j has good resistance to rust, a fungus disease that tends to mar the appearance of snapdragons by causing brown spots. The plants grow to about 20 in tall and are available in white, yellow, pale pink, deep pink, red, scarlet, coppery orange, violet, and in the mixture Antirrhinum majus ‘Coronette Formula Mix.’
In 1998, the Rocket Series was extended to include Antirrhinum majus ‘Rocket Lemon.’ Although lemon yellow, the flower features a lot of white and this makes it look very attractive. The Rocket Series itself has long been known for supplying large quantities of excellent flowers for cutting. They are on sale at florists from mid-April until the end of August. The plants can grow to over 39 in tall and are well provided with leaves, even in old age. Other cultivars belonging to the series include Antirrhinum majus ‘Rocket Golden’ (yellow and lemon yellow), Antirrhinum majus ‘Rocket Bronze’ (salmon pink with soft orange and some yellow), Antirrhinum majus ‘Cherry Improved’ (rose red), and Antirrhinum majus ‘Rocket Orchid’ (lavender).
Antirrhinum majus The Rose’ is another snapdragon of which the discerning gardener need not feel ashamed. The pale pink flowers have a lovely satiny sheen and go well with other plants in a border. The handsome, classic shape of the flowers is also worth noting. The plants may grow up to 39 in tall, but are usually shorter. “Pale pink with some egg yellow round its lips” is the description provided for Antirrhinum Tip Top Irma,’ a color combination from the Tip Top Series. Many other colors are also available in that series. The plants grow to about 32 in tall and are therefore suitable for cutting, but also merit a place in borders or flower-beds.
