Snapdragons: Everything You Need To Know
You know that friend who just adds something special to every party they attend? They show up in an eye-catching outfit, with some gossip to divulge and are a friend-to-all? For us, that’s the snapdragon.
They’re bright, a little dramatic and work in pretty much every arrangement. They add colour, height and… once you know a little more about them… are incredibly interesting, with a fascinating history behind their snappy happy heads.
What’s the history behind snapdragons?
If you’ve ever had a little squeeze of a snapdragon’s head, and made it roar (no, just us?!) then you’re simply living life like the Ancient Greeks. As, unsurprisingly, the snapdragons name comes from its appearance – its Greek name is Antirrhinum – anti means “like,” while rrhinum means “snout.” They are the prettiest jaws and snouts of a dragon we’ve ever seen.
Where do snapdragons grow?
While their actual origin is unknown it’s believed that snapdragons were originally wild flowers in Spain and Italy, and they’ve since spread across the world. They were brought to America when colonists began to populate the states and planted them in gardens in almost every state but we consider them quite the English garden flower, as they’re often found – from Spring onwards – popping up in gardens across the country. It’s why we love them in our flower subscription boxes, to bring a taste of that quintessential English garden feel indoors.
What are some fun snapdragon facts?
Like Daenerys’ dragons in Game Of Thrones, the floral snapdragon is also said to provide protection. The Romans and Greeks thought snapdragons had the power to protect them from witchcraft. Descorides, the Greek physician wrote that protection would be given to the person that wore snapdragons around their neck.
Planting some around your house now would give your house a Medieval castle feel, as snapdragons were also once thought to be the guardians of European castles and planted near the gates. They were also cut from the ground and then boiled up to create an infusion that women would apply to their faces to keep them beautiful and restore youth.
What do snapdragons mean in the language of flowers?
They’re a little contrary as in floriography, snapdragons either mean deception or graciousness. It is said that concealing a snapdragon makes a person appear fascinating and cordial… but we’d prefer it if you kept our snapdragons in full sight. They’re too beautiful to conceal!
How do I care for my snapdragons?
As well as ensuring you’re giving them fresh water and food every three days, make sure you remove the lower leaves lower the water line before popping them in the vase to prolong their vase life. As Snapdragons grow from the bottom up, remove the lower flowers as they start to turn to help the top ones open up. The longer they are in the vase, the thicker the snapdragons will get. You might notice that they twist and turn towards the sunlight, this is totally normal… wouldn’t you rather face the sunlight too?
You’ll find snapdragons in so many of our arrangements, as they go with everything! They add height, colour and drama and – if you like – you can also cut them down adding them to smaller vases and even little bud vases.
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