Gorgeously decorative snapdragons to add colour to the garden
SNAPDRAGONS are lovely flowers, which many would be familiar with in cooler climates. They are native to the rocky regions of Europe, the United States, and North Africa. Known botanically as Antirrhinum, they are a favourite for cut flowers. The fragrant flowers come in multiple shades of pastels as well as vibrant reds, oranges, and purples.
The name describes the traditional snub-nosed form of the flower, but the flower has gradually changed to several forms and shapes.
There are open-throated types and frilly azalea-like blooms with extra petals lining the centre.
White, scarlet, bronze, yellow, purple, and peach – there are many colours and combinations.
Although one colour you are unlikely to find is blue. Most of the annual varieties come in a range of colours and shades, or even mixed and bicoloured varieties.
With careful selection, there are some varieties that can be grown in hotter climates such as ours, but they will require more care to ensure you get the splash of colour expected from these plants. Background
The height of the flowers varies from dwarf plants at 25cm to the tall ones that can reach up to even one metre. The popular ones are mainly dwarf snapdragons, which we can grow from seeds imported from Taiwan and elsewhere, including Australia and New Zealand, where we’ve found these flowers are mixed plants.
Of the many varieties, studies have been made to ascertain their relationship as a model organism in botanical research. It became a basis for investigation of floral development from the genetic aspects, such as the combination of red-flowered and white-flowered snapdragons, which offer intermediaries or heterozygous phenotypes with pink flowers.
Several species of Ant ir rh in um are self-incompatible, meaning that a plant cannot be fertilised by its own pollen.
This feature of gametophytic controlled self-pollination offers insight into the same system in Rosacea (roses) and Solanaceae (sunflowers). Some species produce flowers like chrysanthemums, dahlias, and zinnias. Growing conditions
The snapdragon is an important garden plant, widely cultivated from tropical to temperate zones for their decorative flower. For field planting, we need to remember that snapdragon needs sunlight and avoid waste land that causes root rot. Good drainage must be provided to avoid flooding, which will destroy the plants.
For field planting, first seed them in seeding trays with a suitable growing medium. Keep the planting medium moist but not waterlogged to avoid the risk of damping-off as light is required for germination. All seeds should not be covered with soil but with clear plastic to keep them moist. When the seedlings are 4cm to 5cm tall, they can be transplanted to the site.
Field planting should be spaced about 24cm apart for the dwarf variety, but further apart for the tall variety.
Besides field planting, pot planting for displays or hanging on the balcony can be done straight from the start. First blooms coming from the central stem can be removed to encourage more flowering from the side branches.
If the temperatures are too hot, flowering would be greatly reduced.
Therefore, you should put them in the shade to encourage more blooming. Plant protection
Rust disease can be a problem in wet weather. This disease will turn the leaves yellow with red pustules appearing on the ventral or bottom side of the leaves. Disease prevention is more feasible than control with fungicide sprays such as Thiram. Uses
Besides providing beautiful flowers for cut flower markets, snapdragon seeds are used for oil extraction as an edible oil. Its flowers are best cut early in the morning and late afternoon to keep them fresh. Have the newly-cut stems placed immediately in water to have them stay fresh for longer.
Leaves and flowers have been considered to possess antiphlogistic properties for poultices as well as for green dyes.
Do plant snapdragons in your garden to add to its flower showcase. They will also attract butterflies, which will add to the beauty of your backyard.
Send me an email if you have questions, comments, or suggestions.
Happy gardening.