Snapdragon Madame Butterfly Mixed Seeds - Antirrhinum majus

Antirrhinum majus 'Madame Butterfly Mix' is an amazing, award-winning hybrid selection that features unique azalea-type blooms on tall, graceful flower spikes. Fully double and ruffled, they display a wide array of bold colours. Ideal for growing at the back of summer borders and flower beds and perfect for cutting! Snapdragons are annuals or short-lived perennials depending on the climate and soil. These easy-going, prolific bloomers self-seed in the most unlikely of places. Grow in well-prepared, free-draining soil in full sun.

Antirrhinum majus, commonly referred to as Snapdragon, has been grown in gardens since the 16th century. It belongs to the Scrofulariaceae family and is native to the west of the Mediterranean basin where it grows between rocks and on dry slopes. It is often found growing in between cracks in old garden walls. 'Madame Butterfly Mix' brings together varieties from the excellent double series. The voluptuous plants form 80 cm tall and 40 cm wide clumps. The erect stems are covered with opposite or alternate linear to lanceolate leaves, deep green in colour. From May-June to September-October (or until the first frosts), dense, sturdy flower spikes emerge. The large, azalea-type flowers have frilled petals in a host of bold colours. Snapdragons are a magnet to bees and butterflies. They self-seed easily in light soil, however they are not always true to type.

Snapdragons are easy to grow, perfect for naturalistic gardens, scented gardens, and cottage gardens. They are generally treated as annuals in heavy soil and colder climates. Large varieties such as 'Madame Butterfly Mix' are perfect for growing towards the back of borders, flower beds and rock gardens. They are also ideal for cutting! This variety combines well with Love-in-a-mist, Cosmos or annual poppies. Snapdragons’ colourful flower spikes look particularly attractive amongst bushy perennials (fennel, ox-eye daisies, cardoons, asters, perennial chrysanthemums) or small, neutral-coloured shrubs (lavender, santolina, mugwort, euphorbia, Thymus hirsutus) ... Once the plants are well established, we recommend removing spent flowers regularly to extend the blooming period.

Snapdragon seeds are best left to experienced, seasoned gardeners as they are extremely small, like fine dust.