| November's Plant of the month |
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By: Submitted by Morgan Sharp
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UT Garden’s Plant of the Month for November:
Snapdragon
Submitted by Morgan Sharp
Snapdragons are native to the Mediterranean region. You can find them growing wild in countries such as Spain, Portugal, and Turkey. The botanical name of snapdragon is Antirrhinum majus. In the Greek language, this means “nose like,” and the French often call the flower “wolf’s mouth.” You can make the flower “snap” or open and close by putting your index finger and thumb into the rounded petals and moving them like a hand puppet. Single- or double-flower selections are available in nearly every
color except true blue.
Just like pansies and violas, snapdragons make a great winter annual in Tennessee landscapes. They fizzle in our summer heat but put on quite a show from fall through spring. For best performance, plant them in mid- to late-fall for a colorful show of flowers through spring. Plants will thrive in full-sun and moist but well-drained soil.
Snapdragons are generally low-maintenance plants, but they do make some minor demands. Once the plant is two to four inches tall, pinch off the stem tips if you desire shorter and more abundant flower spikes. This process delays flowering but encourages a fuller looking plant. It is important that snapdragons do not go without water for too long. They will wilt and perish easily if the soil is not moderately moist.
Snapdragons can be found in three distinct heights: dwarf varieties grow from 6 to 12 inches high; semi-dwarf selections grow from 14- to 24-inches; and tall varieties grow up to 36 inches. Dwarf varieties are best for bed borders, mass planting, and containers. The tall varieties are best as a
backdrop for the flower bed or for cut flowers.
A great way to use snaps is to interplant spring-flowering bulbs such as tulips or daffodils between them in your landscape beds. Plant the snaps 6- to 12-inches apart in staggered rows for a showy display and plant bulbs in the alternating rows between the snaps. The bulbs will grow up between the snaps and add a fresh burst of color in spring. Then, as the bulbs begin to die down, the snapdragons continue to flower and disguise the senescing bulbs.
Successful cultivars grown in the University of Tennessee Gardens include dwarf cultivars: ‘Floral Showers’, ‘Chimes’, ‘Tahiti’, ‘Montego’, ‘Floral Carpet Mix’, and ‘Bells’. Semi-dwarf cultivars include: ‘Sonnet’, ‘Liberty’, ‘Robbon’, and ‘La Bella’. A good choice for a tall snapdragon is ‘Rocket’.
Morgan Sharp is an undergraduate student in the public horticulture program of the University of Tennessee Department of Plant Sciences. Sharp works under the guidance of Dr. Susan Hamilton, director of the UT Gardens. The UT Gardens are a project of the Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station. The original gardens are located in Knoxville on Neyland Drive. Additionalgardens are located in Jackson on Airways Blvd. Admission is free, and the Gardens are open to the public seven days a week during daylight hours.
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