Antirrhinum majus, aka Snapdragons, have multiple seasons and dozens of colors!
These seasonal flowers are game changers for bouquets, and they are timeless, and come in gorgeous shades!
Antirrhinum flowers in the summer garden border. Also known as snap dragon / snapdragon and dragon or dog flowers, these Antirrhinum petals are predominantly pink in colour, with hints of yellow, orange and peach. Snapdragons are popular annual summer bedding plants suitable as patio pot plants, flowering in full bloom until the autumn frosts arrive. In our zone (Zone 8b) they are particularly easy to grow from seed. This area, seems to have all of the elements they enjoy. Good drainage, abundant sunshine, and a cool wet spring. However, in order to grow straight stems, netting and pinching is required. It’s tough to pinch, you want them to grow…so why are you pinching them back?
To Pinch or Not to Pinch?
Pinching allows for the the stem of the plant to grow stronger, and produce a more stable bloom. With a flower this large, and heavy, that is exactly what you want! The best time to pinch is when the plant itself produces it’s second set of leaves. Pinch off the top two sets of leaves, and you will have a nice strong healthy flower. This does not delay the flowering by any means, it simply gives the plant another boost to say “grow strong!” Wrapping stems in paper help with keeping stems straight also, however, I personally love some of the arched stems, they create a fabulous spread of color. Snapdragons have different varieties. A good site to visit is Johnny’s Seeds. Here’s a helpful link: https://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/flowers/snapdragon/snapdragon-key-growing-information.html
A favorite time to start snapdragons from seed is mid-summer. Plant them out in September or October as a “cool flower” and you will enjoy the most amazing late spring color show! This was on the farm taken May 4, 2024. What beauties! Snapdragons are a showstopper, and produce tall flowers beautiful by themselves or in a mixed bunch! Stay tuned on our website and newsletter to see when our store opens in June! You for sure will have some of these beauties in your bouquets! www.coastalflowercompany.com