Tips for a Successful Summer of Snapdragons
If you want to add color to your flower beds in Houston, consider adding Angelonia (also known as summer snapdragon) to your collection. This beautiful plant provides continuous blooms
throughout the season and has been around since the late 1990s. Despite its relatively recent arrival, several colorful varieties of Angelonia are already available.
Angelonia is a tough annual that can easily withstand the heat and humidity of Texas summers, making it an excellent choice for any sunny spot in your garden. Most Angelonia plants grow upright with spires of flowers and glossy, deep green foliage, reaching a height of 1 to 2 feet. Some varieties grow more horizontally than vertically, spreading out nicely but not exceeding a height of 1 foot. If you’re looking for a cascading trailer, there may be better fits than angelonia, as it tends to grow straight out and does not spill over container edges or walls.
The summer snapdragon flower’s appearance gives away its nickname: the blooms look like the wide-open mouth of a monstrous dragon. However, unlike true snapdragons, angelonia flowers present as one fused petal with no hinges. You’ll typically see flowers in the blue/purple to white spectrum, but a few red varieties have emerged in recent years.
Planting Angelonia
If you’re considering planting Angelonias in Texas, keep in mind that this plant is native to South America and thrives in lots of sunlight and damp soil. It is hardy in USDA zones 9-11 and will grow as an annual.
To grow Angelonia successfully, plant it in full sun and rich soil that has been amended with compost. This plant’s upright spires make it an excellent choice for the middle of a bed or border, where it can add height and color to your garden. Angelonia are also a great option as a “thriller” plant in a container garden alongside other plants with similar light and water needs.
