Legends say that the goddess Flora created this flower for Hercules, in honor of his first feat - the victory over the terrible Nemean lion.

But in the botanical name “antirrinum” there are no echoes of this glorious past, because translated from Greek it is only “nose-like”. The mythology remained in informal names; Snapdragon among us, cleft palate (gueule de loup) among the French, biting dragon (snapdragon) among the English.

In Germany, snapdragon was considered the best remedy against witchcraft, and a bag of dried flower was worn around the neck as amulets. In the East, they drank a decoction for poisoning, although the antirrhinum plant itself is poisonous. And in the East, a decoction of snapdragon mixed with lily oil is considered a miraculous cosmetic product. They smear the face with it, “so that it may be pleasing to everyone.”

The homeland of antirrinum is the Mediterranean. It belongs to the Norichnikov family; its genus includes about 50 species of perennial and biennial plants. However, only one species is cultivated - Antirinum majusL. How garden plant it has been mentioned since 1567, and today’s variety of varieties (there are more than 800 of them) the world owes to the Germans, who in the 19th century began extensive breeding work with antirrhinum. Varieties based on height and flower size are divided into large-flowered tall (up to 100 cm), large-flowered semi-tall ( 50-70 cm), low (40-50 cm), low compact (20-30 cm), small-flowered dwarf (15-20 cm).

Special features of antirrinum.

The bush is herbaceous, most often pyramidal in shape.

The stems are straight, branched, from 15 cm to a meter high. Young shoots sometimes have a purple bloom.

Leaves are lanceolate to oblong-oval. The roots are taproots, branched, and penetrate deeply into the soil. The most noticeable thing is the flowers: a two-lipped corolla with fused petals. The flowers sit on short stalks, collected in racemose white, yellow, red or two-tricolored inflorescences.

The fruit is a multi-seeded capsule.

The seeds are small and remain viable for 3-4 years. Snapdragon produces abundant self-seeding. It is pollinated by bumblebees, only they can freely penetrate deep into the perianth.

Almost all snapdragon varieties have flowers that exude a sweet aroma. Snapdragon blooms from June until frost. Each flower remains decorative for up to 12 days; the entire plant blooms without interruption for almost three months.

Reproduction of antirrinum and agricultural cultivation techniques.

This perennial cultivated as an annual, sometimes biennial.

Likes open sunny places, protected from the wind.

It is undemanding to growing conditions, but it works best on light, fertile, well-drained, loamy soils. Cold-resistant. It is responsive to watering, but it is impossible to over-moisten the soil - from excess humidity may die. But it tolerates short-term drought relatively easily. Plant care is normal.

Fertilizing with mineral fertilizers is carried out 2-3 times before flowering.

To prolong flowering, faded inflorescences are regularly removed. This technique stimulates branching of bushes. Mulching the soil between plants also enhances flowering. In autumn, when the average daily air temperature drops to 11-16°C, a new peak of mass flowering occurs.

Snapdragons are most often grown as seedlings, although they can be sown directly into the ground in spring or before winter, but in this case flowering begins late. The seeds are planted shallowly, they germinate slowly, and shoots appear in 12-14 days. They also grow slowly. Snapdragon blooms 60-80 days after germination.

Seeds for seedlings are sown in mid-March, for early flowering- in the beginning of March.

High and medium grades require double picking. In the first week after picking, the plants are very sensitive to excess moisture in the soil (they are affected by blackleg), so it is better not to water them, but to spray them with a spray bottle. The first fertilizing with complete mineral fertilizer (5-8 g of nitrophoska per 10 liters of water) is carried out 7-10 days after picking, the second - after 10-12 days.

For better branching of bushes, snapdragons are pinched after the formation of 5-6 true leaves above the 3-4th leaf.

The cut off tops can be cut off immediately. Hardened seedlings are planted in the garden in the 2nd-3rd decade of May at a distance of 15-50 cm (depending on the height of the variety). Antirrhinum is rarely propagated by cuttings, mainly terry varieties, although cuttings take root easily in sand.

Use of snapdragon (antirrinum).

Snapdragon adds a slight touch of nostalgia to the flower garden of “grandmother’s garden.”

But at the same time it is very stylish. The textbook place of snapdragons is in mixborders, borders, and flower beds.

IN last years heterotic hybrids have been created that are especially decorative for lining flower beds.

And how spectacular are the multi-colored flower beds and “pillows” made from low and dwarf varieties of different colors selected according to their height! A lesser-known technique is to make a edge of snapdragons in front of shrubs or a group of trees.

The best partners of antirrinum are annual plants. Semi-high varieties go well with ageratum, alyssum, Heddevig's carnation, and aster. Tall ones - with cosmos, sage, chrysanthemums.

Antirrinum varieties.

In the group of semi-high varieties, the original one is very popular Schwarzer Prinz (Black Prince) with velvety small black-purple-red flowers. The unusual lilac-blue color of the flowers attracts the Rocket Orhid hybrid.

The leaves of these hybrids are also interesting - variegated, green-violet, greenish-bronze. An amazingly cheerful Defiance variety with bright orange-red flowers, blooming from the third decade of June to the third ten days of August.

The most common variety mixtures: Hyacinth-flowered Series with a dense inflorescence of large flowers that really resemble hyacinth, Coronette Mixed with uniform height, vigorously growing and long-flowering plants, Monarch Mixed- With large-flowered plants 40-45 cm high, which is especially recommended for casing.

Snapdragon (antirrhinum) how to properly care for it - video

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Snapdragon, or antirrhinum, is a perennial plant that wildlife grow in North Africa, Europe, and the North American continent. In Siberia and middle lane In Russia there is a variety of snapdragon - wild toadflax. Translated from the Greek word "antirrhinum" means "nose-like" or "nose-like". In nature, there are about 50 species of flower, which began to be cultivated and grown back in the 16th century. And this is not surprising, since the plant is famous for its unusual flowers, varied colors and ease of care.

Antirrinum can be a herbaceous plant or subshrub, which is distinguished by green branched, finely grooved, straight stems from 15 cm to 1 m in height. The pyramid-shaped bushes have opposite leaves at the bottom and alternate leaves at the top. The leaf blades can be light or dark green with red veins. They are lanceolate or elongated oval in shape.

In June, spike-shaped inflorescences are formed on snapdragons, which consist of rather large two-lipped fragrant flowers. They can be simple or terry and have a wide variety of different shades. Depending on the type and variety, antirrinum buds are pale fawn, pink, yellow, white or red. There are plants with flowers that are painted in two or even three colors.

Snapdragon flowering continues until frost. At this time, in place of faded buds, fruits are formed in the form of a multi-seeded two-celled capsule.

In gardens, snapdragons are grown as an annual. But there are cold-resistant species that, when favorable conditions They winter well and are perennials.

Gallery: snapdragon flower (25 photos)

Types and varieties

Antirrhinums can have different heights and according to this feature they are divided into five groups:

Growing seedlings

The seeds of the plant can be sown directly into open ground. They will emerge in two or three weeks and will calmly survive minor cold snaps. But this method of planting snapdragons is only suitable for warm areas. In the middle zone and regions where there are still frosts in May, it is better to grow snapdragons in seedlings.

The seed planting procedure is carried out in March:

Caring for crops consists of keeping them at an air temperature of +23 degrees, timely moistening the soil and ventilating it daily.

Under favorable conditions, seedlings will appear within three to four days. It will be necessary to remove the polyethylene and place the seedling containers in a bright place where there is no direct and burning sunlight.

Sprout care

Thin and small sprouts that hatch from small seeds require special care:

After the appearance of two true leaves, it is necessary to pick the plants into separate pots or wider boxes. Three sprouts are planted in each pot or hole.

Transplanted seedlings are grown in a bright place. It is best to place them on a western or eastern window sill. After they take root, they begin to harden off the plants. To do this, open the window every day - in the first days for a few minutes, and then for more long time. Later, when the temperature outside during the day becomes above zero, the seedlings are taken out for a while open air. In this case, you need to ensure that there are no drafts or direct sunlight.

Grown plants with five true leaves are pinched. In this case, they will bush better. If the lateral shoots that appear are strongly stretched, they can also be pinched.

Planting a flower in open ground

Hardened, strengthened and mature seedlings are planted in open ground in late May - early June. The snapdragon is not afraid of cold nights, so during this period of time you can safely plant it in a flowerbed.

The site for antirrinum should have nutritious, light, well-drained soil. Bushes can be planted both in partial shade and in sunny places.

For snapdragons, holes are prepared into which a mixture of peat, compost and sand (1:1:1) is added. The distance between the holes depends on the height of the plant:

1. Dwarf varieties are planted 15 cm apart.
2. Between low-growing varieties the distance should be 20 cm.
3. Between medium-sized ones - 30 cm.
4. Tall varieties are planted at a distance of 40–50 cm from each other.

Planting should be carried out in well-moistened soil, so the holes are watered with water, after which plants are planted in them.

If planted correctly, antirrinum will quickly begin to grow and turn into a beautiful and lush bush, which will already begin to bloom in June.

Features of plant care

Snapdragon is unpretentious in care. Throughout the growing season, it requires timely watering, fertilizing, removing weeds and loosening the soil.

Watering is carried out only in dry times, when there has been no rain for a long time. Watering should be done in the morning, after which it is necessary to remove weeds and loosen the soil.

During care, do not forget about fertilizing, otherwise the flowering of antirrinum will not be very abundant. The first feeding is done after the plant takes root and begins to grow. At this time, organics and nitrophoska are used. During the formation of buds, the bushes are fed with a solution, which consists of the following components:

• superphosphate;
• potassium sulfate;
• urea.

Take one tablespoon of each fertilizer and dissolve in 10 liters of water.

To ensure abundant and long flowering, faded buds are removed. Otherwise, a seed box will begin to form in their place, and the plant will spend all its energy on producing fruits. Withered flower stalks are cut off lower flower. After this procedure, after some time a new arrow will appear, on which buds will quickly form.

When growing tall varieties of snapdragon, the bushes must be tied to a support.

To prevent self-sowing, faded flowers should be regularly removed and faded flower stalks should be trimmed. In the fall, after flowering, annuals are removed from the flowerbed and burned, and the soil under them is dug up. Such procedures are necessary in order to destroy pests that have settled on the plant.

Perennial antirrinums are pruned with the onset of cold days. Stems 5-8 cm high should remain above the ground. The top of the trimmed bushes is covered with dry leaves or peat mixed with sawdust.

To obtain snapdragon seeds, you do not need to wait until the fruit is fully ripe. They are collected unripe and laid out in a well-ventilated, dry room.

Diseases and pests

Among the pests that can settle on antirrinums are egg-laying butterflies, caterpillars, fly larvae, and scale insects. Affected plants are treated with insecticidal preparations.

Among the diseases, snapdragon can be affected by the following diseases:

To prevent the spread of pests and diseases, you must follow some rules:

1. When planting plants in open ground, maintain a distance between them. It is not recommended to place bushes too tightly.
2. Treat affected plants with special preparations in a timely manner.
3. Water at the roots so that water does not get on the leaves.
4. Do not allow the soil to become waterlogged.

An easy-to-care plant with beautiful flowers can be used not only to decorate the garden, but also to decorate balconies and loggias. Dwarf and low-growing varieties antirrinum are planted in pots and balcony boxes. In the garden, snapdragons will decorate flower beds, flower beds, and borders. It will look beautiful with eschscholzia, cornflowers, cameo. Can be cut flowering plants and use them to make a bouquet.

Attention, TODAY only!

INTRODUCTION TO ANTIRRINUM

Taxonomy

Snapdragon is a flower with a funny name, familiar from childhood. Among professionals, its botanical name is often used - Antirrhinum, or more accurately - Antirrhinum majus. This is one of the 50 species of the genus Antirrhinum of the Plantainaceae family; decorative varieties culture. In nature, snapdragon is a herbaceous perennial that grows in the countries of the Mediterranean coast. In our country, its rhizome cannot overwinter in frozen soil, so annual cultivation of snapdragons from seeds is simply a necessary procedure if you want to have these wonderful flowers in the garden or on the balcony.

Titles

The scientific word “antirrhinum” is translated from Greek as “resembling a nose” (“anti” - similar, “rhinos” - nose). And the flower received its usual name “snapdragon” for its property, when pressed on the “throat,” to open its “mouth”, like the mouth of a lion. In English-speaking countries it is known as the “biting dragon” (snapdragon), and in France as the “mouth of the wolf” (gueule de loup). Antirrinum for our grandmothers more familiar under the affectionate name “doggies”. Interestingly, according to legend, it owes its appearance to the goddess Flora, who created it after the victory of Hercules over the lion.

Description

The height of the branched pyramidal bush, lignifying at the bottom, varies from 30 to 70 cm (in varieties from 15 to 110 cm). 2-meter specimens are very rarely found in nature. The leaves are lanceolate, medium-sized, small at the top. Flowers are bisexual, from 3 to 4.5 cm (in varieties up to 7 cm), irregular shape, two-lipped, with a closed long corolla, they are collected in large racemose inflorescences. Only bees and bumblebees can get to the treasured nectar, capable of using their body weight to slightly open the lower lip of the flower and penetrate into the “pharynx”. After this, the flower closes its lips over them, leaving pollen on the insects’ bodies, thus taking care of the appearance of its “offspring” (small, numerous seeds).

Snapdragon is traditionally grown in private households and used in urban landscaping of parks, squares, and streets. Why is he so good?

5 REASONS TO PLANT ANTIRRHINUM IN THE GARDEN

1. A huge variety of varieties for every taste - both in size, color, and degree of terry.
2. Long and abundant flowering: 3-4 months without a break.
3. Cold resistance - seedlings and hardened seedlings can withstand short-term frosts on the soil down to -4 ⁰C, and bloom even in October.
4. The ability to save queen cells from varieties you especially like. Snapdragon in its own way biological features is a perennial plant, like petunia , ageratum , verbena and many others, traditionally used as annual flowers and crops.
5. Abundant self-seeding - this property comes in very handy!

HOW TO CHOOSE A VARIETY?

One of the most important characteristics of snapdragon, in addition to the color and size of the flowers, is the height of its bush. tall plants(from 75 to 140 cm) are grown mainly for cutting in specialized nurseries. For amateur flower growers, two other groups of antirrinums are of much greater interest: medium-sized (from 40 to 70 cm) and low-growing (from 15 to 35 cm) varieties of snapdragons. The last group also includes newest varieties ampelous antirrinums, grown in hanging pots or floor containers - solo or as part of compositions with other flowers. So, choose varieties for planting based on their further use - for cutting, in a flower garden or in pots.

Pay attention to the flowering time of the variety. Early, middle and late varieties Antirrinum flowers bloom at least 10 days apart. Usually the first flowers appear 70-80 days after germination. Having made your choice, you can begin sowing snapdragons.

GROWING Snapdragon FROM SEEDS

Seedling method– the best option for residents of regions with long winters and cold springs. As a substrate for sowing, you can use light garden soil with the addition of sand and peat; the ideal soil acidity (pH) is not higher than 6.5, otherwise you will face the problem of iron deficiency and, as a result, chlorosis of the leaves of the snapdragon.

When to plant snapdragon seedlings?

Calculate the timing based on the fact that the age of the seedlings at the time of planting in open ground should be about 6-8 weeks. For the middle zone, sowing in mid-March would be acceptable if seedlings are planned to be planted in open ground in mid-May.

Sowing

So, in sifted and thermally treated soil, sow the seeds on a moistened surface along the intended grooves. Do not plant deeply, just sprinkle lightly with dry, clean sand or vermiculite; you can even spread the seeds over the surface and lightly press them into the soil. Then spray them with a spray bottle. Cover the container with the crops with film or glass/plastic. Seeds germinate in light at +20-22⁰C for 5-7 days, but sometimes the wait stretches to 2 weeks. Antirrhinum seeds are very small and are often sold in granules. During germination, the granule shell should remain moist, but not wet or dry.

Picking

When the first true leaf appears, pick in small pots or cassettes (up to 7 cm in diameter). Next, snapdragon seedlings should be kept in a bright room at a temperature during the day from +17 to +22⁰C, and at night about +16⁰C. The maximum daily temperature limit is +24⁰C, otherwise the plants will begin to stretch.

Seedling care

A week after picking, the snapdragon can be fed for the first time with ready-made complete mineral fertilizer (Solution, Crystallon, Fertika, etc.), or you can mix 1 tbsp. urea, superphosphate and any potassium fertilizer, for example, potassium sulfate, and dilute it all in 10 liters of water. In the future, fertilizing irrigation can be carried out every week, reducing the concentration by half.

About 1 week before planting in the ground (and this is usually done at the end of April), hardening of the seedlings begins. To do this, lower the daily temperature, ventilate the plants more often and reduce watering.

Growing from seeds by direct sowing into the ground

Some amateur gardeners prefer to sow snapdragons directly into open ground; this can be done when the daytime air temperature is around +10-12⁰C. Growing from seeds in this way certainly has the right to exist, although with it you will be able to admire the first flowering of antirrinum no earlier than July, or even August.

Growing snapdragons from seeds is also carried out in late autumn or early winter in ridges prepared in advance, along frozen grooves. The depth of the crops is up to 1 cm; they are sprinkled with dry humus or peat on top; they can be additionally mulched with leaf litter and/or covering film. Plants grown using winter sowing bloom earlier than others and have enviable health.

Features of growing from seeds of ampelous antirrinum

The main difference in this case will be the ban on pinching seedlings, which is recommended for ordinary varieties after planting in the ground. Thanks to pinching, such plants bush better, bloom longer and do not stretch. For hanging plants On the contrary, elongated shoots that effectively hang over the edge of the flowerpot are important. Pinching will delay their flowering.

WHERE TO PLANT ANTIRRHINUM

Snapdragon grows well in a sunny, windless location, but can tolerate partial shade during the day. The soil for it should be moderately loose and fertile; loam will be the best. When planting, you need to ensure good drainage or choose a place where water does not stagnate during rains and watering.

Snapdragon: CARE DURING THE SUMMER

1 week after planting the seedlings in a permanent place, you need to carry out the first fertilizing. The key nutrients for snapdragons are nitrogen, calcium and magnesium, and according to some sources also boron. Calcium is needed for the special resistance of the plant, i.e. the strength of its stems, and magnesium is responsible for healthy and elastic leaves. Fertilizer application rates are up to 10 g/m², frequency – every 7-10 days until the start of flowering.

Withered inflorescences do not add elegance to the flower garden, and also reduce flowering, so it is better to remove them in a timely manner.

In May and September, snapdragons do not need frequent watering (if there is sufficient rainfall); in other months, on average, water once or twice a week, soaking the soil to a depth of at least 20 cm. Plants in containers are watered more often. This should be done at the root, preferably without wetting the foliage, in order to avoid troubles in the form of fungal diseases.

We must not forget about weeding and loosening the soil around the antirrinum. It is better to tie tall plants to a support so that they are not broken by the wind. And if the summer is not very hot, flowering will last a long time. In the southern regions, plants often suffer from strong sun and drought, so their growing season is short.

DISEASES AND PESTS

One of the most common diseases of snapdragons is rust, caused by a rust fungus. Preventive measures include root watering of plants and uncrowded plantings and, as a result, their good ventilation. In addition, make it a rule when planting in open ground to treat all seedlings with any stimulant (Zircon, Epin, HB-101, etc.) to increase plant immunity. Infected plants are removed, and the remaining ones are treated with a suitable fungicide (Maxim, Topaz, etc.), and the concentration of the drug can be increased 1.5 times.

Snapdragon is also affected by false powdery mildew, fusarium wilt, “black leg” (at the seedling stage). Of the pests, significant damage can be caused by caterpillars, aphids, thrips and others, not at the growth stage (they are not attracted to foliage!), but at the beginning of flowering. Here we can only advise you to regularly check the plantings, preferably at least once every 3 days, in order to have time to take measures to destroy pests.

HOW TO COLLECT Snapdragon SEEDS

Seed ripening occurs on the same plant at different times. This is due to the fact that the flowers on the cluster bloom starting from the lower buds, and the seed pods ripen in the same order. When they acquire a yellow-brown color, collect the lower 2/3 of the inflorescences and carefully remove the seeds, which remain viable for 4 years. Remember that seed material can only be collected from varieties, and not from hybrids. But even in this case, one thing must be observed important condition. Within a radius of at least 100 meters, and preferably more, only one variety of antirrinum should grow. Otherwise, cross-pollination will occur and the seeds will not inherit varietal qualities.

Snapdragon Cuttings

If you grew a snapdragon flower from seeds of stunning beauty, but did not have time to collect the seeds from it (or it was a hybrid labeled F1), then you can save the mother plant until next spring. How? As easy as pie! In September, dig up a bush you like in the garden, plant it in a suitable pot, cut off all the thin branches and wilted inflorescences and place it in a cool place, for example, on a closed loggia or veranda), not forgetting to water it occasionally, BUT! without fanaticism! The optimal temperature for keeping snapdragons in such conditions is not lower than +5⁰C.

In January or February, bring the mother plant into a warm, bright room, cut it to a height of 7-10 cm and wait for young shoots to appear. They must be cut or torn off at the heel; each cutting must have at least 2 pairs of leaves. The lower leaf blades must be completely removed, and the upper ones must be cut in half.

Dip sections of cuttings into Kornevin powder or simply into crushed tablets activated carbon. Plant the prepared cuttings in a light sterile substrate consisting of peat and sand; for better moisture retention, you can add a little chopped sphagnum. Set up a mini-greenhouse by covering the container with cuttings with a transparent cap or lid.

Rooting occurs within 2-3 weeks with daily spraying and ventilation, and bottom heating will help speed up the process. After another couple of weeks (when young growth appears) it will be possible to transplant the plants into separate containers. By the end of May, the rooted cuttings will be ready for planting in open ground. The mother plant can also be planted in a flower garden, where it will bloom first.

Snapdragon - PERENNIAL?!

In our latitudes it is still a juvenile. You can try to leave it in open ground for the winter, but success is only possible with sufficiently reliable shelter and a relatively mild snowy winter. In autumn, antirrinum bushes are cut to a stump (to a height of 8-10 cm), mounded with compost or humus, covered with spruce branches, or leaf litter is raked. In early spring the hillock is removed, and the sprouts that appear are planted around the garden or left in the old place. Such plants bloom later than those grown from seeds through seedlings.

On video: beautiful antirrinum

EFFECTIVE CUT

Snapdragon is a flower that is especially attractive in bouquets. The inflorescences can be cut off already at the stage of dissolution of the first bud, because the rest will calmly bloom in the vase. Antirrinum flowers stay fresh in water for up to 2 weeks.

On video: using snapdragons in a flower garden with coniferous plants

USE IN THE GARDEN

Finding a place in the garden for antirrinum will not be difficult; it will be appropriate in almost any case. Bright snapdragon flowers will decorate the front flowerbed; pastel-colored varieties are better suited for the garden natural style. Plant dwarf and low-growing plants along the edge of the path or in the foreground of the flower bed, and medium-sized and tall antirrinums in a separate group or in mixed flower beds (in the center or in the background).
For balconies, patios, and terraces, ampelous varieties planted in flowerpots or other containers are suitable.

In the video: snapdragon (antirrinum) terry Twinnie F1

Snapdragon flower

The snapdragon flower has whole line undeniable advantages. First of all, it is unpretentiousness and bright, long-lasting flowering from mid-summer to late autumn. It can be grown not only in flower beds and hills, but also on loggias in pots and hanging baskets.

The snapdragon flower (Antirrinum) is a flower, but it blooms and produces seeds in the first year. That is why it is mainly grown as an annual. This flower can form a powerful bush with a well-developed root system. Such bushes are able to winter safely even in the middle zone.

Thanks to the work of breeders, flower growers can grow hundreds of varieties of Antirrinum. Exist dwarf varieties(15 - 20 cm), medium-sized (40 - 50 cm) and tall (90 - 100 cm). In addition, ampelous forms of snapdragons with drooping shoots have recently appeared; the length of such shoots reaches 1 meter.

Snapdragon is ampelous.

Growing snapdragons from seeds

When to sow.

When growing snapdragons, you need to sow the seeds in early March.

Substrate for seed germination.

The flower does not like to grow on peat soils. To germinate seeds, it is better to use soil from a compost heap and river sand in a one-to-one ratio.

How to sow Antirrinum seeds.

It is convenient to grow snapdragons from seeds in plastic containers with tight-fitting lids. You can sow the seeds directly into cups, with several seeds in one cup. If 3-4 seeds germinate, then there is no need to thin them out; let them continue to grow in one bush.

Before sowing, the container or cup is filled with soil, the soil is leveled and abundantly moistened. Snapdragon seeds are very small; for convenience, snow is poured on top of the substrate and the seeds are sown in the snow, then they are clearly visible. You just need to take into account that snow indoors melts quickly. You can mix the seeds with sand, this also greatly simplifies the sowing process.

Caring for seedlings.

After the seeds are sown, they are sprinkled with a thin layer of soil, moistened again with dewdrops and covered with a lid or film. To germinate, the seeds will need high humidity and temperature 23 - 25 degrees. Monitor soil moisture; when the substrate dries out, it must be moistened periodically.

Young seedlings

With proper care, the seeds will germinate in 10 - 15 days. After young sprouts appear, the container with the seedlings is transferred to a well-lit place. Otherwise, if there is insufficient lighting, the seedlings will quickly stretch out. The film can be removed a few days after seed germination.

Young plants grow slowly at first, this should not alarm you. At this time, Antirrinum seedlings should be watered very sparingly. If signs appear, remove all affected seedlings immediately and sprinkle the soil with ash or crushed activated carbon.

As you have probably already noticed, there is nothing unusual in growing snapdragons from seeds; all other flowers are grown from seeds in much the same way.

Picking seedlings.

When the seedlings have a second pair of true leaves, you can start picking the seedlings. Antirrinum already grows a powerful root system during the seedling period, so plants need to be planted in large 0.5 liter cups.

Antirrinum seedlings after picking.

If the seedlings grew densely, then sometimes the roots of neighboring plants grow together. In such cases, do not try to separate them, just plant several pieces in cups.

Snapdragon easily tolerates picking and is quickly accepted in a new place. But until the seedlings begin to grow, they must be kept in the shade and taken out into the sun a few days after transplantation.

Pinching seedlings.

This flower should not be grown in one stem.. The plant looks much more attractive when it grows as a bush. To do this, the shoot is pinched above the fifth leaf. If they start to grow quickly side shoots, then it’s better to pinch them too. As a result, a powerful, beautiful bush snapdragon.

Growing from seeds in open ground

You can also grow snapdragons from seeds in open ground. You just need to say right away that these flowers will bloom only at the end of July or early August, but they will bloom until frost.

Antirrinum grown from seeds.

It is customary to sow snapdragons in the ground in so-called clumps. Curtains are formed with a size of approximately 40 by 40 cm. 4 - 5 Antirrinum bushes are grown in one clump, but much more seeds need to be sown there. Excess shoots can later be pulled back.

Seeds are sown in the ground at the end of April, beginning of May. Since spring frosts can destroy the seedlings, the clumps are covered with some kind of covering material.

Growing and caring for Antirrinum

Flower growers rarely plant snapdragons in the foreground, considering this flower to be not spectacular enough. But this happens because few people know how to grow this flower correctly. Most often it is grown in one stem, and varieties are selected with a height of 30 - 40 cm.

Antirrinum should be grown in bushes. To do this, you just need to cut off the top of the plant. Cutting down top part shoots can occur in seedlings, adults, and even flowering plants. After some time, not one, but as many as 8 - 12 shoots will grow.

When growing tall varieties, the height of which reaches one meter, you get a huge flowering bush. Fading shoots should also be removed, and then new, young stems will grow again in their place.

Snapdragon can grow in full sun, partial shade and in almost any soil. It is grown in mixborders, ridges and individual clumps. Ampelous hybrids are good for planting in hanging baskets.

Wintering snapdragons in open ground

Antirrinum is a perennial plant that can winter in the middle zone. It is prepared for winter in the same way as most perennial flowers. In autumn, all shoots are cut off, and the roots are covered with leaves, grass, and peat. After a successful winter, many shoots grow from the roots, which can be dug up and used to decorate the area.

Snapdragon diseases

In cold rainy weather, red spots may appear on the leaves of Antirrinum. If this happens, treat the flowers with Zircon (5 drops per 1 liter of water). The same drug can be used to treat plants for prophylaxis, only in smaller doses (2 drops per 1 liter of water).

For preventive purposes, snapdragons are sprayed when planting seedlings in the ground and before flowering begins. It is better to immediately remove severely affected plants from the garden bed.

Real flower growers do not pass by such a flower as antirrinum, which wins the hearts of people from the first minutes of its flowering. Many people remember it from childhood thanks to its easy-to-remember bright colors that look like lion’s mouths. Antirrinum, or “snapdragon” - herbaceous plant for open ground it is considered a perennial in its homeland - in the Mediterranean, Asia and America, but in our country it is more often grown as an annual, although in the southern regions with a mild climate the plant tolerates winter well. There are about fifty species of this plant in nature, but only one is cultivated everywhere - “antirrhinum major”.

Description of antirrinum

Snapdragon, or “dragon’s mouth,” as this decorative flowering plant of the Norichaceae family is called, is a perennial or annual, depending on the region of growth. Various varieties have all kinds of colors and sizes of complex flowers, collected in elegant elongated inflorescences, similar to sharp elongated pyramids. The flowers can be ordinary two-lipped or double, the shades cannot be described, as breeders are developing more and more new varieties of antirrinum, with multiple colors on one plant.

The aroma is also different: from a barely noticeable and unobtrusive floral, to fragrant and fragrant, especially in the evening. Leaves bright green color lanceolate in shape, each variety has its own degree of foliage, stem thickness and length. Antirrinum major is divided into the following types:

• tall;
• medium height;
• short:
• dwarf;
• ampelous.

Popular varieties

Tall antirrhinums

They are distinguished by elegant tall inflorescences, are suitable for cutting and play the “first fiddle” in flower ensembles, attracting the attention of viewers. Thanks to the choice of varieties according to color scheme, with the help of beautiful arrows densely planted with flowers, you can create floral masterpieces in flower beds. Plant height up to 100 centimeters or more. Popular variety"Madame Butterfly" Stem height up to 80–90 cm, large inflorescences of double flowers, similar to azalea flowers. Shades beautiful flowers varied: dark cherry, yellow, white, coral and red tones.

Photo: © “Madama Butterfly” / omskseeds.ru

An unpretentious variety if grown through seedlings, which are recommended to be pinched above the fifth leaf, but many gardeners do not do this, since the main stem is the strongest and tallest; there are many side shoots, but they are lower and thinner. They create pyramidal shape flower. When cut, they last for more than ten days, maintaining freshness. Pleases with beauty late autumn, in the south they winter well if they are first cut to 10 cm and sprinkled with foliage or mulch. Plants tolerate frosts down to -5°C, so they often bloom all winter on the Black Sea coast.

The "Alaska" variety has greenish-white flowers, the "Anna German" variety has pinkish flowers, and the "canary" variety has pinkish flowers. bright yellow flowers. As a rule, all giants are late varieties; they are planted for seedlings in February.

Important! “To prolong flowering and keep plants looking neat, faded inflorescences should be trimmed.”

Medium-sized varieties

Their distinctive feature is their height from 40 to 60 cm. All varieties have a central peduncle higher than the lateral ones, of which there are more than ten. They form a beautiful lush bush of different shades. It is recommended to plant such plants no closer than 30 cm from each other so that they grow better.

Popular variety for borders, flower arrangements and large flowerpots. Such antiriums can decorate any area with their fabulous appearance: they bloom from June to October, opening two flowers per week on each shoot, which last for 20–25 days, unlike other annuals.

short

This type includes plants no more than 25–40 cm tall - compact bushes with large flowers. They are grown both in open ground and with a closed root system in pots and boxes. Feel great on southern balconies. The varieties tolerate mild drought and do not require watering several times a day.

The plant grows spherically: lateral shoots of the first and second orders are at the same level as the central stem. No pinching required. Varieties come in early and mid-flowering periods. The variety “rainbow” is popular, characterized by abundant and long flowering. It has different shades of flowers with a pleasant aroma. For beauty, plant 5 bushes in a flowerpot, which form a real “rainbow” of colors.

Photo: © “terry” / biotechnica.ru

Another variety that gardeners love is “terry twinnie f1 pack,” which is distinguished by abundant and long-lasting flowering of terry peach-colored inflorescences.

Dwarf

Consists of several varietal groups. They are characterized by short stature up to 25 cm or more small flowers, located on short numerous shoots. This variety was bred for alpine slides and rockeries in open ground and for planting in indoor pots.

An interesting variety “tom tumb” is a compact bush up to 20 cm high with multi-colored joyful flowers. This is a real curiosity.

Ampelous

New rare view received special love not only from flower growers, but also from ordinary connoisseurs of beauty. Breeders have created different colors and shapes of flowers. All varieties of this group are suitable for planting in flowerpots and cache-pots; they have flowing stems from 20 to 100 cm with clusters small flowers various shades.

New rare variety, intended for planting in boxes, hanging flowerpots and vases: “lampion mix f1” - hybrids of plants of different colors. “Lampion mix” looks beautiful in one pot, showing the world a variety of colors. They are not planted in open ground. The shoots of the variety reach 70 cm, they are flexible, strong and create a lush mane with large bright flowers. "Candishauers" is an ampelous species with dark cherry flowers on strong stems only 25-30 cm long, with a stunning delicate aroma. The bush looks like a ball thanks to the inflorescences collected in clusters. Blooms profusely and for a long time, not afraid short day, so it continues to bloom on the glassed-in loggia even in winter.

This type of antirrhinum is planted as perennial flower. The flowerpot is brought into the house when there is a threat of frost, where it spends the winter, decorating the home in the winter, and in the summer it creates colorful waterfalls, landscaping verandas, gazebos and balconies.

Preparing for landing

Most often, snapdragons are propagated in two ways: by growing from seeds or by cuttings. Perennial ampelous varieties are taken from cuttings, the rest are easy to grow from seeds.

Seeds

Antirrinum seeds ripen in late autumn; sometimes it is not possible to collect them in central Russia; moreover, the variety you like may be a hybrid and will not retain the properties of the mother plant when propagated. Thus, it is best to buy seeds from trusted sellers. For sowing, take a shallow container with light soil: store-bought “for seedlings” or “for flower crops” with neutral acidity, or sifted humus, peat with river sand in equal parts. Ignite the soil in microwave oven or oven, then moisten the soil with a spray bottle, compacting the layer a little. It is best to sow antirrinum on the surface, without deepening or covering the seeds with soil.

Next, you should cover the bowl with glass or film and place it in a warm place for germination, maintaining the temperature at 25°C. If condensation has formed on the glass, it should be wiped and not allowed to accumulate to avoid the occurrence of diseases. After two to three weeks, as soon as the seeds begin to germinate, remove the glass, expose the container to light and lower the temperature to 18-20°C. If there is little light, install special lamps and make sure that the seedlings do not stretch. But if you sow seeds for seedlings in March, this will not happen.

Advice! “When growing seedlings, the main thing is to monitor the soil: do not over-moisten it to avoid disease.” blackleg».

For prevention, you should spray it with a solution of phytosporin from a spray bottle (5 drops per 0.5 liters of water).” When two leaves appear, pick them into larger boxes or special cells. Antirrinum is not afraid of this procedure, so picking can be done twice: the second, when four leaves appear.

To prevent the seedlings from stretching, at this stage you need to reduce the temperature to 15–17 ° C, as a result the plants will be stocky and strong. Two weeks after the first transplant, fertilize with any complex fertilizer for flowers. Plants respond well to the healing cocktail: epin + cytovit. The solution can be poured onto the ground or sprinkled, diluting according to the instructions.

Selecting a location

A sunny area, but protected from the winds, is suitable for planting the plant. The flower can grow in partial shade and on any soil, even on loam. A huge advantage of this plant is that it can withstand the sun, heat and temporary drought without losing its decorative appearance.

“The best place is among other flowers in flower beds and compositions of annual and perennial plants.”

Soil preparation

The plant is completely unpretentious and grows even on rocky soil. Black Sea coast, on clay in the Moscow region, but the question arises: how decorative are such “wild” flowers? This is the whole secret.

For curvy and bright flowering Fertile soil or soil fed with mineral fertilizers is required. A flower is not a vegetable, there is no need to be afraid of nitrates, so in the spring, before planting summer trees, rotted compost is added to the soil and mineral fertilizers for flowers. For example, “Kemira”; plus they scatter ash, which helps reduce the acidity of the soil, which has a beneficial effect on many plants, including antirrhinum.

Landing

grown up strong and healthy seedlings planted in a permanent place in open ground in April or June, depending on the region. In the middle zone this happens at the end of May. Replant in the late afternoon or in cloudy weather. Since the flower is not afraid of transplants, there are no difficulties with this. The sequence of actions of the florist is as follows:

1. dig a hole,
2. add a handful of granulated complex fertilizer, mix it with light soil, that is, purchased garden soil or sifted compost soil,
3. spill water
4. plant the seedlings, cover them with soil and press them on all sides.

When planting tall varieties, maintain intervals between plants (30–40 cm) and prepare a support for staking the plants. Medium-sized varieties are planted 20–30 cm apart in groups. Low-growing and dwarf ones are planted in large islands according to a 10x10 cm pattern.

Care

Watering frequency

For those who visit their plots once a week, antirrinum is a beautiful way out: it tolerates drought and frequent watering does not require. It is better to water with settled water in the morning under the root from a watering can so as not to wash away the soil. During particularly dry periods, water like other flowers daily. If possible, cover the soil with mulch to prevent the soil from drying out, but do not let the water stagnate.

Tall varieties require more water, and short and dwarf ones, growing, seem to spread along the ground, forming a continuous carpet and retaining moisture. Flowers in flowerpots and hanging pots are watered daily, especially during hot periods. The longer the shoots, the higher the level of moisture evaporation. This must be taken into account when calculating the watering rate.

Selection and rules for applying fertilizing

If you want to see constantly blooming flower beds, fertilizing should be regular. Seedlings are fertilized every 14 days, and flowering plants - once a week. Such combinations provide nutrition and protection to plants from diseases, increasing their immunity, stress resistance, and adaptation to unfavorable conditions. weather conditions. After such an elixir, plants will surprise and delight with their beauty. Feeding is not stopped while flowering is in progress - until autumn.

Important! “Remove spent blossoms regularly. This stimulates the emergence of new ones.”

If the decorative effect of tall or medium-growing varieties has noticeably decreased, shorten the longest stems. This will cause the plant to send out new shoots and start a new wave of flowering.

Wintering

Antirrinum is declared as a perennial, but in most northern regions it cannot survive harsh winters. To save a flower you like, it is transplanted to winter period from open ground into a pot, having previously cut it by one third.

It will bloom in the house until November, but then the flower will retire. To do this, the temperature should not exceed 15°C. A glazed veranda or an insulated loggia is suitable for the flower. In the spring, antirrinum activates growth again, and in May it can be planted again on the site. Ampelous varieties growing in flowerpots and flowerpots are designed specifically for winter storage at home. At the same time, you can get from them planting material by spring, pruning and rooting the shoots as cuttings.

This method gives good results reproduction, preserving all maternal qualities even in hybrids. In winter, water the flowers once a week; fertilizing is resumed in March. In the southern region, “snapdragon” is not dug up; it overwinters in the open ground with all perennials, blooming already in April-May. The stronger the bush, the more resistant it is to low temperatures.

Pests

Immediately treat the area in the garden with an insecticide according to the instructions. But for prevention, experienced gardeners use tincture of wormwood, garlic or onion peel, spraying all plants against pests from time to time with solutions that are safe for humans and bees.

Shields

Very nasty pests. Fighting them is difficult, as they move and reproduce quickly. The fight against snapdragons is very difficult, since the scale insects are removed from the leaves manually: they are cleaned off with a hard bandage soaked in vodka or a toothbrush.

But the leaves of Antirrinum are small and often located along the stem, making it difficult to destroy the pest. Therefore, it is best to remove damaged plants and burn them.

Caterpillars

Caterpillars infect a flower extremely rarely; this is not their delicacy. If manual collection, and this is the most effective way, if it doesn’t help, then use chemical weapons: well-proven against caterpillars: “Karate” or “Rovikurt”.

Fly larvae

Fly larvae or midges themselves often infect domestic flowers. They can simply fly into an open window and, having found a suitable environment for themselves - waterlogged soil, settle there. It is possible and necessary to fight them.

• Water the ground with garlic tincture or insert cloves into the ground.
• Insert matches into the ground, sulfur side down, repeating the procedure several times.
• Crush the Mashenka chalk before watering.
• Water the plants with soapy water.
• Sprinkle ash on top of the pot, this will kill midges and feed the plants.

But the main thing is prevention, it is this that will prevent pests and diseases from appearing.

Diseases

When growing seedlings, the plant can be affected by a dangerous disease - blackleg. If you comply correct mode watering, treating seedlings with phytosporin, then the disease can be avoided. The second disease dangerous for antirrinum is rust, which affects adult plants. As soon as you notice the manifestation of the disease, treat with Topaz. If spraying twice does not help, it is better to remove the bush from the garden bed and burn it. Planting and caring for antirrinum is not a difficult task, which is why gardeners love it. A little attention and patience to this plant, and it will reveal best qualities, giving bright colors summer until late autumn and delicate aromas every evening.