How To Grow: Snapdragons

Antirrhinums, more commonly known as Snapdragons, are a genus of flowering plant, containing around 36 species, belonging to the Plantaginaceae family. These plants resemble the face of a dragon that opens and closes its mouth when squeezed, hence the ‘snap’.

Picture courtesy of Iguanasan

Snapdragons come in a wide range of colours including purple, yellow, white, crimson, pink and bronze. They are native to the mediterranean though will grow well in English flower beds and rock gardens. These flowers should be planted outside after the last frost in your area. Here are our gardening tips on how to grow snapdragons in your garden this year:

1. You need to select the right site in which to grow your snapdragons. These plants like to be in full sunlight and need to be situated in average soil that offers good drainage.

2. Once you have found the perfect spot in your garden to grow your snapdragons you need to dig the holes in the flower bed. Snapdragon seedlings, which can be bought from your local garden centre, ids need to be planted an 1 – 2 inches deep with around 15 – 30 centimetres between each seedling, as larger species can grow between 30 and 48 inches high.

3. The snapdragon seeds need to be watered in until the soil is completely moist, though should not be waterlogged. The plants should be watered in the morning, as leaving the plants wet at night can lead to distorted growth and rotting of the roots.

4. Snapdragons will bloom around June time and the tallest growing shoots should be pinched out when they are around 3 inches tall to encourage branching and thus more flowers.

5. Once the flowers have died off, the snap dragon plant should be cut back to around 6 inches, which will then promote new growth and a second bloom if well fertilised.

6. If growing the taller varieties of snapdragon, be sure to stake them to provide them with extra strength. Snapdragons are very hardy annual flowers that can withstand a heavy frost and will provide beautiful colour in your garden for the entire summer.

For more advice on how to grow your favourite flowers in your garden, visit our gardening tips page.