ANTIRRHINUM MAJUS ssp TORTUOSUM

Description

Sizeable, deepest pink "snapdragon" flowers open over a prolonged period in spring and summer on this scarce plant. It is strictly speaking a perennial, when it will ultimately make a thick-stemmed shrub clad in thin pointed leaves, but does very well grown as an annual. It grows in wild rocky places from the Rif Mountains of Morocco to Malta, where it can sometimes be seen as a dazzling patch on mountain roadsides and clifftops, but is very rarely seen in cultivation.

Sowing Advice

For best results, sow immediately onto a good soil-based compost. Cover the seeds with fine grit or compost to approximately their own depth. They can be sown at any time, and germination can sometimes be quicker if kept at 15 to 20 degrees C. We sow most seeds in an unheated greenhouse and wait for natural germination, as many seeds have built-in dormancy mechanisms, often waiting for natural spring germination, hence giving them a full season of growth.

Key Facts