Snapdragon: Antirrhinum majus
Snapdragon: Antirrhinum majus
Snapdragons are among the most sought after flowering plants in the fall. They provide dense, bushy floral displays, seeming to represent the American dream of a peaceful and happy home. Their deep green leaves provide the strength to support these dense flowers arrayed on spikes above. The flowers have five lobes, and by pinching their sides, you can make the jaws ‘snap’ open. Here at Clearwater Color Nursery, we grow dwarf, intermediate, and large (or cut flower) Snapdragons:
Great bedding flowers, the dwarf Snapdragons we are growing are the ‘Montego’, ‘Snapshot’, and ‘Floral Showers’ series. These little gems come into bloom earlier than their larger cousins, and come in an array of solid colors and mixes. At maturity, they will grow to be 6-10” tall.
The intermediate Snapdragons we grow are the ‘Sonnet’, ‘Speedy Sonnet’, and ‘Liberty Classic’ series. These are the most popular of all the Snapdragons we sell, and for good reason; they make a brilliant display when mass planted in the landscape. These also come in mixes and solids. At maturity these will grow to be 18-24” tall.
Our tallest Snapdragons, the large/cut flower varieties are the ‘Rocket’ series. These magnificent beauties will grow 30-36” tall at maturity. It is typical for us to sell these without any “color”, as they will not come into bloom until they have been planted and allowed to reach their full height. The ‘Rocket’ series is a larger plant than its cousin Snapdragons and requires more space to grow to its full potential. These are a good choice to put at the back of a flower bed. In very windy areas they may need to be staked. Most Snapdragons are “day length sensitive”. It is important to plant them in the early fall so they can reach bud stage before night temperatures drop lower than 50°F. If so, they will start blooming in late fall or early winter and continue until the weather gets hot.