Annual
Snapdragon
Antirrhinum majus · Plantaginaceae
Also called: Common snapdragon, Garden snapdragon
Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) is a moderate-water annual well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It's a fast-growing annual.
Snapdragon at a glance
- Water use
- Moderate (established)
- Sun
- Full sun in the cool season; light afternoon shade extends bloom into late spring. 6+ hours sun.
- Mature size
- Dwarf types 6–10 in; intermediate 12–24 in; tall/cut-flower types 24–36+ in. Spread 6–12 in.
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Bloom
- Wide range — white, yellow, orange, pink, red, burgundy, bronze, and bicolors., Winter through spring (roughly Dec–Apr/May in Tucson), depending on planting date and variety.
- Cold hardiness
- Half-hardy; tolerates light frost and brief temps to ~25°F, but heat-intolerant — declines once daytime highs consistently exceed the 80s°F.
- Soil
- Well-drained, fertile soil amended with compost; slightly acidic to neutral pH. Tolerates Tucson's alkaline soils if drainage is good.
- Native range
- Mediterranean region (southern Europe, North Africa, southwest Asia); naturalized widely.
- Best used as
- Winter/spring color beds, Containers and window boxes, Cut flowers, Mass bedding and borders, Cool-season pollinator nectar (bees)
- Wildlife
- Bumblebees are the primary pollinators (they pry open the 'dragon' mouth); attracts other bees and occasional hummingbirds.
- Toxicity
- Non-toxic and considered safe for people, dogs, cats, and horses.
How to grow Snapdragon in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Cool-season annual in Tucson: set out transplants Oct–Nov for winter-into-spring color (a tender perennial grown as an annual here). Keep evenly moist while establishing, then water deeply 2–3x/week as the soil surface dries; mulch to conserve moisture. Pull plants as heat arrives in May–June.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Work compost into beds at planting. Feed with a balanced complete fertilizer or a liquid bloom formula (e.g., 5-10-10 type) every 3–4 weeks during active growth/bloom; they are moderate feeders that respond to phosphorus.
Pruning & care
Pinch young plants once to encourage branching; deadhead spent spikes to prolong blooming. Cut back leggy stems after a flush to push a fresh round of bloom.
Notes
One of the backbone cool-season bedding annuals for Tucson. Plant after the worst early-fall heat (mid-Oct or later) so transplants root in cooler soil. Susceptible to rust fungus — choose rust-resistant varieties and avoid overhead watering. Will not survive Tucson summers.
Sources: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension – Pima County October/September Monthly Gardening Guides; Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder; AMWUA Plants for the Arizona Desert