Snapdragon
Antirrhinum majus
Snapdragons are cool-season flowers with tall spikes of colorful, two-lipped blooms that "snap" open when squeezed. They are popular bedding plants and excellent cut flowers.
- Light
- Full sun to partial shade
- Water
- Keep evenly moist
- Difficulty
- Easy
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Overview
Snapdragons are classic cottage-garden flowers named for the dragon-mouth shape of their blooms, which open and close like jaws when gently pinched. They produce dense vertical spikes of bloom in nearly every color.
They are cool-season plants that flower best in spring and fall, and in mild climates can bloom through winter. Tall varieties make superb cut flowers, while dwarf types suit edging and containers.
How to identify it
Recognizable by upright spikes of pouched, two-lipped flowers.
- Flowers: Tubular, two-lipped (dragon-mouth) blooms packed along upright spikes; snap open when squeezed
- Colors: Wide range including red, pink, yellow, orange, white, and bicolor
- Leaves: Narrow, lance-shaped, mostly toward the base of the stems
- Habit: Upright, from dwarf 6 in types to tall 3 ft cut-flower varieties
Care & growing
Snapdragons prefer cool weather, sun, and steady moisture.
- Light: Full sun for best bloom; tolerates partial shade
- Water: Keep soil evenly moist; avoid drought stress
- Soil: Fertile, well-draining, slightly acidic to neutral
- Temperature: Cool-season; they flag in summer heat and revive in fall
- Feeding: Feed regularly for continued flowering
- Maintenance: Pinch young plants for bushiness and deadhead spent spikes to prolong bloom
- Propagation: Grown from seed, often started in cool conditions
Habitat & origin
Snapdragons are native to the Mediterranean region, including parts of southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, where they grow on rocky slopes and walls.
They are cultivated worldwide as cool-season ornamentals and cut flowers, in borders, containers, and cutting gardens.
Frequently asked questions
Why are snapdragons called that?
The flowers resemble a dragon's mouth and 'snap' open and shut when you gently squeeze the sides.
Are snapdragons annuals or perennials?
They are tender perennials usually grown as cool-season annuals, since they decline in summer heat.
Do snapdragons reseed?
Yes, they often self-seed and can reappear in the garden the following season.
How tall do snapdragons get?
It depends on the type, ranging from dwarf forms around 6 inches to tall cut-flower varieties reaching about 3 feet.
Snapdragon guides
In-depth guides for identifying, growing, and caring for Snapdragon.
Snapdragon identified by the community
Real specimens identified with Plant Identifier.
