Antirrhinum majus L.

Garden Snapdragon

Herb

Annual

Vascular

Garden Snapdragon is an introduced annual or short-lived perennial in the Plantain family (Plantaginaceae) It is native to the Mediterranean region. In Alabama it is commonly planted as a winter or early spring bedding plant and has been found as an escape on trash piles, on urban lots, and in other disturbed areas. It is a short-lived perennial with a tap root. The upright or trailing stems are often branched near the base. The stems are 1-3 feet in height, green in color, and glabrous or glandular pubescent. Leaves are opposite or alternate, short petiolate or sessile, elliptic to lanceolate in outline, glabrous or sparsely stipitate-glandular, with entire margins. Flowers are produced in glandular pubescent terminal racemes. Flowers have 5 green, glandular pubescent sepals united at their base to form and cup-like calyx. The corolla is funnelform and two-lipped. The corolla throat is closed off by the three-parted lower lip. Only bumble bees are large and strong enough to “pry” the flowers open to reach the nectar a pollinate the plant. The fruit is a capsule. Garden Snapdragon is a commonly cultivated cool season bedding plant that comes in a wide range of colors and sizes. It prefers a moist, organic rich soil in full or partial sun.—A. Diamond.

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Not Native

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