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Dragon Flower Wikimedia Commons
Plantaginaceae

Dragon Flower

Antirrhinum majus

Grace and deception.

Family
Plantaginaceae
Genus
Antirrhinum
Native to
Mediterranean region
Bloom season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Type
Herbaceous perennial (often grown as annual)
Height
0.15-1 meter
Sunlight
Full sun
Soil
Rich, well-drained
Water
Moderate
Hardiness
7-10
Lifespan
Short-lived perennial

Did you know

  • When you squeeze the sides of a snapdragon flower, it opens like a dragon's mouth, hence the name.
  • After the petals fall, the remaining seed pods look eerily like tiny human skulls.
  • In Victorian flower language, snapdragons could mean either graciousness or presumption.
  • Only heavy bumblebees are strong enough to open the flower's hinged lip to reach the nectar.
  • Snapdragon genetics were used to discover transposons (jumping genes), work that won a Nobel Prize.

Color meanings

0

Graciousness

1

Deception

2

Strength

Uses

  • Cut flowers
  • Bedding
  • Borders
  • Container gardens