# Snapdragon (*Antirrhinum majus*)

Snapdragons are colorful flowers that look like little dragon faces! When you squeeze the sides, they open and close, just like a dragon's mouth. They come in many bright colors and are fun to see in gardens.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Gardens
- **Also known as:** Antirrhinum, Dragon Flower

![Snapdragon](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424640/objects/3237.jpg)

## Appearance

The Snapdragon has tall, upright stalks adorned with tubular flowers that resemble a dragon's mouth or a gaping face. These vibrant blooms come in almost every color except true blue, often featuring striking bicolor patterns and a unique 'snapping' motion when squeezed.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Lamiales
- **Family:** Plantaginaceae
- **Genus:** Antirrhinum

## Interesting facts

- Its name, Antirrhinum, means "like a snout" in ancient Greek!
- Snapdragons were once believed to have magical protective powers!
- Some snapdragons can survive light frosts and keep blooming.
- The flower's unique "snap" sound amused gardeners for centuries.

## Special abilities

- **Dragon's Roar Trap:** Snapdragon's "mouth" flowers are perfectly shaped to be opened by heavy bumblebees, helping it control who pollinates it.
- **Skull Seed Guardian:** After blooming, the seed pods dry into shapes uncannily like tiny human skulls, protecting the seeds inside.
- **Color Magnet:** It has extremely bright, diverse flower colors and patterns that attract specific insect pollinators from far away.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-120 cm
- **Spread:** 15-45 cm
- **Flower Size:** 3-5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to first frost
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed Bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — Large bees are strong enough to open the flower mouth.
- **Eats:** Convolvulus Hawk-moth (*Agrius convolvuli*) — Caterpillars feed on the foliage.
- **Eats:** Small White (*Pieris rapae*) — Caterpillars munch on leaves and flowers.

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form.
- [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Tube Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/tube-flower): A tube flower has petals fused together at the base, forming a distinct tubular structure that typically holds nectar deep within.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always ask an adult before picking flowers, and remember to smell them gently!

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Snapdragon?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Snapdragon?

30-120 cm

### How wide does Snapdragon spread?

15-45 cm

### How big are the flowers on Snapdragon?

3-5 cm

### When does Snapdragon bloom?

Late spring to first frost

### Is Snapdragon edible?

No

### Is Snapdragon toxic?

Mild

### What is Snapdragon's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Loro Parque](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/loro-parque) — Canary Islands, ES · Zoo
- [Schlossgarten Schwetzingen](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/schlossgarten-schwetzingen) — Baden-Württemberg, DE · Park

## Watch

- [Play video: Snapdragon](https://www.snappit.app/videos/snapdragon)
- [YouTube](https://youtube.com/watch?v=FKMOgKrt-78)

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Snapdragon: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/snapdragon)