majus Antirrhinum Dazzling Lips Lemon

The Antirrhinum majus Dazzling Lips® Lemon is a snapdragon with large, highly fragrant yellow flowers. It is an early and particularly floriferous variety, with strong stems that excel in the garden, in pots, and in bouquets. In addition to its ornamental qualities, it is also a plant that attracts pollinators. Although not very hardy, it is generous and easy to grow as an annual.

Known in gardens since 1583, the Antirrhinum majus was a favored plant in monastery and clergy gardens. This plant, belonging to the plantain family, is native to the western Mediterranean basin, where it grows among rocks on the arid slopes of the Midi. In France, it can be found as far as Lozère and Aveyron. There are even plants rooted in the mortar of old walls protecting gardens. Contrary to popular belief, wild snapdragon species and certain varieties are perfectly perennial if provided with poor, sandy, rocky soil in full sun, sheltered from cold winds.

The 'Dazzling Lips Lemon' snapdragon is a recent selection and is part of a series of hybrids (the 'Dazzling Lips') chosen for their early and perpetual flowering, large and fragrant flowers, and sturdy flower spikes. It is more biennial than perennial and rarely lives for more than two years. In the year following planting, it forms a clump approximately 50-60 cm (20-24in) in height and 30-40 cm (12-16in) in width. Its upright, sturdy stems are covered with opposite or alternate, lanceolate, entire, glabrous leaves of a beautiful green hue. These leaves will persist on the plant if the winter is mild. The flowering occurs from May-June to September-October, in successive waves. 'Lemon' produces robust spikes bearing large tubular-based flowers with undulating lobes. The petals display a bright lemon yellow colour, speckled with warmer yellow towards the throat. They are highly visited by bumblebees and butterflies. Snapdragons readily self-seed in the garden, in light soil, but not always faithfully in relation to the parent plant.

Snapdragons are part of our childhood memories. With their small velvety snouts that emit a fragrance when one plunges their nose into the flowers, they are plants accessible to all gardeners, easy to install in borders, flower beds, or pots. Treat them as annuals in heavy soil, which is of little consequence considering their generosity. Larger varieties such as the 'Dazzling Lips' are perfect for cut flowers, flower pots, or cottage gardens. For example, associate them with love-in-a-mist, perennial flax, and valerians (Centranthus ruber). Their flower spikes are well highlighted when emerging among bushy perennials such as aster cordifolius or ground cover roses, cotton lavenders, 'Powis Castle' artemisias. Once the plant is established and to prolong its flowering, you can regularly remove faded flowers.

The snapdragon gets its vernacular name from the distinctive shape of its flowers, which, when pinched, resemble open mouths.