Angelonia angustifolia
Summer snapdragon , Angelonia angustifolia , is a member ofthe Plantaginaceae house , a very large mathematical group that includesplantain , penstemon , andfoxglove .
It is naturalize as a tender perennial in USDA Hardiness Zones 9 to 11 , and as an yearly in other zones .
Summer snapdragon ’s name is slightly misleading . It does resemble thecommon garden snapdragon , Antirrhinum majus , as well as the wild version , Linaria vulgaris , aka butter and eggs , or toadflax .
Photo by Dinesh Valke, Wikimedia Commons, viaCC BY-SA.
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However , unlike these childhood favorite of mine , its double lips do not bend undefendable and close when pinched , like the lip of a favorable firedrake . Instead , they stay fixate , more like the blossom of a genus Penstemon .
In gain , unlike its snapdragon full cousin that come from temperate regions of Asia and Europe , A. angustifoliais aboriginal to Central and South America , and the West Indies , where it thrives on hotness and humidity .
Photo by Dinesh Valke, Wikimedia Commons, viaCC BY-SA.
You may also line up this mintage name under the name narrowleaf angelon , angelonia , or angel flower .
In this article , I ’ll discuss how to develop and wish for summer snapdragon in your garden .
Here ’s what ’s in store :
What You’ll Learn
countenance ’s get started !
Cultivation and History
summertime snapdragon has an unsloped , shaggy growth drug abuse . The foliage consists of opposing pairs of minute leaves . They are dark green and shiny , and emit a pleasant fragrance that resembles that of orchard apple tree or grapes .
The stems are green and put up spikes of showy blooms that are more or less smaller than those of the garden snapdragon . New outgrowth is reddish - brownish .
Flowers mensurate up to one inch across and may be bicolor , gloomy , pink , purple , or white .
Average pinnacle lay out from about 12 to 18 inch . However , there are taller cultivars that reach 24 , or even 36 inches , especially in Florida , where they grow very well . Mature widths are nine to 12 inches .
In accession , there are low - profile “ spreading ” sort that range from four to 10 inch magniloquent , and 12 to 20 inches wide .
Blooming is continuous all summer long in position with full sun and organically - rich , mildly acidic , well - draining soil .
sluttish shade is suffer , but too much may lead in stretched , leggy stanch and few blooms .
plant show an above average capacity for drought , heat , and humidity , anddeerare not attract to them .
Like so many of today ’s garden plant life , summer snapdragon in all probability made its manner to US garden from native tropic home ground via outside plant accumulator .
It is likely that British plant scientist George Bentham had a specimen ofA.angustifoliain his broad herbarium , when he donate it to Kew Gardens in 1854 .
An ambitious taxonomist , he co - author three volumes of “ Genera Plantarum , ” between 1862 and 1883 , in which almost 100,000 seed - bearing industrial plant were classified .
Many of the species collected during the nineteenth Century were cross with one another and cultivated to explicate hybrids suited to commercial propagation for the floral industry , as well as home gardening .
In the example of summertime snapdragon , it remained a leggywildflowerpropagated by stem cuttings for many year .
In 1998 , the cultivate hybridA.angustifolia‘Hilo Princess ’ was introduced .
Today , in improver to a emcee of cultivars , we have the Serena and Serenita serial that are grown from seed and tender compact size of it and a wide-ranging color palette .
Propagation
you’re able to depart plants from seeds , root word cuttings , divisions , or transplants .
From Seed
If you are cultivating these works as yearly , start seeds indoorsup to eight week before the last average freeze date of spring , to get a head set out on the growing time of year .
Use biodegradable seed starter cellular telephone that can be transplant in their totality to the garden or container .
Sow several seed per cell at a depth of 1/8 column inch , and treat thinly withpotting soil .
The idealistic soil temperature for sprouting is between 70 and 75 ° F . Some folk wish to habituate a heat mat , but your lovesome and cheery window may do just as well .
keep even wet during germination , but do n’t rent the potting medium in the cell become doughy .
When the seedling have two set of true leaves , dilute them to one per cell .
At this stage , you could fertilize with half - strength limpid fertilizer .
As the seedlings grow , pinch the grow tips back if the stems get too leggy , to promote bushier growth .
After the danger of freeze has passed , acclimatize the seedlings to the out-of-doors . This is call “ hardening off , ” and is accomplished with a few hour outdoors in a sheltered emplacement for about five to seven twenty-four hours prior to transplant .
To direct sow germ in the spring in warm regions , sprinkle a few every nine to 12 inches , or 12 to 20 inches for spread out type , and overcompensate them with 1/8 inch of soil .
Keep them moist , but not soggy , during germination . When the seedlings have two sets of dead on target leave of absence , thin them to one per nine- to 12 - column inch interval , and take into account the soil to dry out between waterings .
From Stem Cuttings
Once perennial put on fresh growth in the spring , thin out a length of stem about three to four inches foresightful from a non - crashing develop crown .
nip off all but the top one or two pair of leaves . Moisten the cut remnant of the stem and dip it into root endocrine powder .
forget the root word in pot medium in a four - inch - tall biodegradable starter pot , or plant it in the garden , at a depth of two inch .
Keep the soil moist , but not inert . New growth indicates successful rooting which should take two to three weeks .
By Division
repeated nurseryman can divide large clumps in early spring to thin them out and transplant elsewhere .
Please confer with ourcomplete guide to separate perennialsfor instructions .
From Seedlings/Transplanting
The quickest way to begin is with a nursery seedling .
Simply transplant it upon receipt , maintain the same depth in the ground or garden container as it was in the greenhouse weed .
How to Grow
To work summertime snapdragon in the garden , choose a location that receivesfull sun .
The land should be organically - rich , well - draining , and slightly acidulent . The ideal pH scale is 5.5 to 6.5 .
If you do n’t know the characteristic of your soil , take a soil testthrough your local agricultural propagation .
Work the soil until it ’s uniformly crumbly , to a depth of eight to 12 inches . Amend it with compostto boost acidity , drainage , and nutrients .
allow for for nine to 12 inches between upright plant , and 12 to 20 inches between spreading type . Some folks like close spacing , so stems can stand one another and require less staking , but be measured not to block airflow with overcrowding .
sustain even moisture during establishment , and then wait until the dirt is dry before water again . With even rain , you may discover that you do n’t have to water very often .
Apply a well - balanced , all - purpose , irksome - spillage granulose fertiliser at planting time for this heavy confluent that blooms continuously .
A.angustifoliagrows well in containers . Allow for maximum width , plus an inch to hold a watering can spout or hose hooter .
A depth of 12 to 18 column inch should well accommodate the somewhat shallow source .
Growing Tips
It ’s easy to acquire summertime snapdragon when you think to :
Maintenance
As mentioned , sometimes staking is require for the grandiloquent heyday stalk .
Choose compact variety show or cut off stanch back by one - one-half in other summertime for bushier outgrowth and better natural reinforcement .
One of the advantages of summertime snapdragon is that it blooms continuously , and you do n’t have to murder spent flower stalks , called deadheading , to reach this .
For those cultivatingA. angustifoliaas an annual , you ’ll require to draw the stems up by the roots and dispose of them at season ’s end to curb the wintering over of pests and diseases . Healthy foliage may be added to the compost mess .
And if you are cultivating perennial , in a few years , you may require to divide them , as mentioned earlier .
In improver to fertilize at planting time , some folks like to apply another dose during the growing season . Be sure to follow your product ’s instructions for repeat applications .
Remember that while plants are drouth tolerant , they perform well when they are watered soon after the soil dry out out .
And finally , keep the garden free of sess that contend for wet and attract disease - carry pest .
Cultivars to Select
There are a number of cultivated series and change to pick out from . Here are some of our favorites :
Archangel Cherry Red
From the Archangel ™ series , ‘ Cherry Red ’ produce vibrant red flowers on 12- to 14 - inch stems .
Archangel ™ ‘ Cherry Red ’
Flowers will variegate in colouration depending on the amount of sunshine they receive . They will blossom mystifying Marxist in full sun , with a more muted pure tone in fly-by-night locations .
you could find sets of four plantsavailable at Burpee .
Serena
Serena ® is a summer snapdragon serial publication available in a variety of colors , include purplish , blue , and livid .
Plants reach a ripe height of 15 to 18 inches tall and are ideal for provide acme to container and gay mete .
Waterfall Mix
Waterfall Mix contain a variety of majestic , downhearted , and white to provide an elegant floral display .
you may notice Serena ® Waterfall Mix seedsavailable at True Leaf Market .
Serenita
A. angustifoliaSerenita ® series is a compact variety that reaches a low - profile height of just 12 to 14 inches . Available in purplish , pinkish , and clean .
Serinita Series Mix
Make way for this petite stunner in mixed container on sunny patios .
Find Serenita ® mixed color seeds nowfrom Outsidepride via Amazonin packages of 15 or 30 .
Managing Pests and Disease
Successful culture starts with timber products bred for optimum disease resistance , a full - Dominicus location , full-bodied soil that drains well , and water as needed .
Healthy , well - run plans are much less likely to suffer the ravages of infestation and contagion . However , sometimes problems spring up .
Pests you may have to contend with include :
And diseases common toA. angustifoliaare :
Angelonia flower break virus is a fatal shape that require the remotion of stirred plant life . It may follow from a baby’s room where the infection was present .
dampen off is the sudden death of seedlings , and is make by disease pathogen that thrive in cool , moist locations .
fluffy mold is have by an oomycete , or water system mold , and gray mold , powdery mildew , and root bunk are fungal in nature .
The avoidance of oversaturation and overcrowding go a farseeing elbow room toward occlude their ontogenesis .
Best Uses
Summer snapdragon performs a full of life function in garden seam , borders , containers , cottage gardens , and cut gardens .
Often bear on to as a “ thriller ” in the “ thriller - makeweight - trotline ” floral invention formula , it makes an exciting focal point that draws the heart up along its flower - laden spike .
Pair it with fellow likecoreopsis , liatris , andgarden phloxthat apportion the same cultural necessity .
And do n’t forget to think of the spreading variety when you ’re looking for a flowering ground cover .
Quick Reference Growing Guide
Form and Function
With a good working noesis of how to grow summertime snapdragon , it ’s clock time toadd it to your garden planner .
A. angustifoliais a majuscule flora choice because it prosper in heat and humidity as either an one-year or recurrent , and its showy stems impart height and social system to the landscape , not to mention racy colour all season long .
Versatile enough for in - ground orcontainer gardening , not a favorite of deer , and a pollinator magnet , it ’s as useful as it is beautiful .
And for more selective information aboutgrowing flowersin your garden , you ’ll demand these pathfinder next :
© require the Experts , LLC . ALL right field RESERVED.See our TOSfor more point . in the beginning published September 7 , 2017 . Last updated : June 6 , 2021 . Product photos via Burpee , Outsidepride , and honest Leaf Market . Uncredited pic : Shutterstock .
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Nan Schiller
