A tall Snapdragon with tangerine colored flowers and also has a fragrance. A tender perennial mostly grown as an annual.
Pronunciation
(an-tih-RI-num)(MAY-jus)
Plant Type
All Plants, Annuals
Hardiness Zone
9
Sunlight
full, mostly sunny
Moisture
average
Soil & Site
average, well drained, resents water logged soils
Temperature
Snapdragons are good cool season plants. Hardened plants can be put out in the garden early May and will bloom until heavy frosts. (zone #5)
Flowers
Racemes of tangerine flowers.. Honey Bees are heavy enough and strong enough to open the flower to get to the nectar. Once in, the flower snaps around them. The blooms form two separate cupped clusters that meet in the middle, like jaws. Squeeze the sides of the jaws, and the two clusters will separate, just like a mouth opening. Release the bloom and the jaws "snap" closed..
Leaves
sturdy stalks
Dimensions
40 plus inches tall
Maintenance
may need to be staked, deadheading promotes more blooms, has reseeded in my gardens
Propagation
seeds
Native Site
Species plant is native to south western Europe and Sicily.
Misc Facts
Antirrhinum is from the Greek meaning snout, referring to the shape of the flower.
Author's Notes
I have tried on a few occasions to grow taller Snapdragons that I purchased in pacs. Most of the time they have small flowers. These plants never reach their stated height. I think it has something to do with the small plants having flowers or flower buds. This seems to stunt their height potential. A solution is to start with plants lacking flowers or flower buds.
Notes & Reference
#27-Rodale's Annual Gardens (Paul Loewer), #28-Cottage Garden Annuals(Clive Lane), #109-Annuals and Tender Perennials for North American Gardens (Wayne Winterroud)