Snapdragon
Snapdragon flowers all autumn
There are low varieties of 20-50 cm. These are perfect for pots and as a border plant. The taller varieties can grow to over a metre and are elegant in flower beds and as cut flowers. We grow different colours together in a flower bed. The result is a sea of snapdragons that shine in bright colours.
Snapdragon can withstand some cold. It can even handle a little frost. It’s great to have something flowering in the garden when the high-summer plants have finished for the season.
Snapdragon – a home for fairies?
The name snapdragon comes from the special design of the flower. When you press lightly on the flower calyx, it opens like a small gap. Therefore, it is mainly bumblebees and other heavier insects that manage to reach the nectar of the flower.
Snapdragons originate from the countries around the Mediterranean. In ancient Greece, the flower was thought to protect the wearer. For the same reason, snapdragons were often planted around European castles in the Middle Ages.
There are more fantastic claims about snapdragons. If you wore snapdragons under your tongue and chanted a certain rhyme, you could become invisible, according to ancient magic books. And the flowers were considered a particularly favourite home for fairies. The fairy thing is actually easy to believe when a cluster of snapdragons erupts in fabulous fireworks of colour.
Tiny, brightly coloured seeds
Snapdragons need to be pre-cultivated. Sow the seeds early, in Feb-April. Allow about 12 weeks before the last night frost for sowing.
The seeds are really, really small. Therefore sow them in seed soil. It’s easier for later roots to get through. We usually put potting soil in the bottom of the pot and seed soil on top. That way, when the plant is big enough to use a shot of fertiliser, the roots will get down into the more nutrient-rich layer.
The light-growing seeds should not be covered with soil. Sprinkle them over the sowing surface and keep moist during germination. Protect them from drying out with a transparent cover or plastic with air holes. Spray with water if the soil becomes dry.
The seeds germinate best at 20-22 degrees. After that they thrive in slightly cooler temperatures. The earlier in the year snapdragons are sown, the more light they want to avoid becoming gangly.
Plant snapdragons in a pot or bed
Move the seedlings to a slightly larger pot once they’ve grown and got some leaves. In order for snapdragons to branch out and grow more stems, it is good to top them. We do this when they are 8-10 cm tall. When the risk of night frost is over, it’s time to plant them out in their final location.
Snapdragon is just as beautiful in a pot as in a bed. The lower varieties often have a bushy and compact growth habit. These are super nice as a border plant or ground cover. A good planting distance is about 20-25 cm. The taller varieties are best planted in groups with a distance of about 40 cm between each plant.
A sunny position gives the most abundant flowering, but partial shade also works well. Plant in nutrient-rich soil and water regularly.
Caring for snapdragons
Snapdragon flowers from July. Cut away withered stems, and new flowers will appear.
When the nights of frost are approaching, cover the plants with fibre cloth. The flower spikes will then last even longer into the autumn.
In southern Sweden, it is warm enough for snapdragon seeds to survive the winter. The plant then returns year after year in the same place. Sometimes they can even overwinter, especially if covered with straw or leaves.
Snapdragons have edible flowers
The snapdragon can be used in cooking. The flowers are beautiful in salads, on cheese trays and on sandwich cakes. The flavour is slightly bitter, but you can try candying them, and they are also good in desserts.
Author: Johanna Damm
Fact-checked by Erik Hoekstra
Last updated 2022-10-14