# Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus)

Canonical: https://plantguide.ae/plants/snapdragon · Updated: 2026-10-05
Source: Ghaf Gardens (https://plantguide.ae/plants/snapdragon)

Snapdragon · also called Garden snapdragon, Antirrhinum  
flower · exotic · family Plantaginaceae · grows 0.2–0.9 m tall, 0.2–0.4 m wide · moderate growth  
full sun · moderate water need  
Ratings for Dubai (1–5, 5 is best): heat 2 · salt 2 · drought 2 · shade 2 · ease of care 3  
Sow or plant: Oct–Jan  
Uses: bedding, container  
Garden styles: manicured, luxury

Upright spires of hooded flowers in nearly every colour: one of Dubai Municipality's cool-season bedding flowers, planted from October to January and finished by April.

## About

Meet the snapdragon, the flower that gives a cool-season bed a skyline. Where petunia and marigold spread and mound, snapdragon rises: a spire of closely packed, hooded flowers that open from the bottom up over weeks, so one stem shows open blooms, fresh buds and a tapering tip at the same time.

The flower is a small piece of engineering. Two lips pressed shut like a mouth, a hinge that opens when you squeeze the sides, and a landing platform for a bee strong enough to push inside. Children learn the trick in a minute, and the plant has never lost the nickname it earned.

The mood is formal and slightly old-fashioned in the best way: rows of one colour in a long bed, a tall mixed block behind lower bedding, or dwarf varieties in a pair of pots by a door. In Dubai it does more than most cool-season flowers to give a garden structure, from the first planting in October until the heat takes over in April.

Antirrhinum majus gives a cool-season bed what most Dubai bedding lacks: height and a vertical line. The flowers are two-lipped and hooded, packed along a spike that opens from the bottom upwards over several weeks, so a single stem always carries open blooms, fresh buds and a tapering tip. Dubai Municipality includes Antirrhinum in its seasonal bedding list, and the range of colour, from white and yellow through every pink and red to near-black, is wide enough for any scheme. The flowers also last well when cut, so a row of snapdragons doubles as a cutting patch.

Heat is the limiting factor. Snapdragons are tender perennials that are grown as cool-season annuals, and flowering slows once temperatures climb well above the low 30s °C; April's mean maximum in Dubai is 33.7 °C and May's is 38.2 °C. UF/IFAS recommends planting from October and November and continuing through February in a warm climate, which matches Dubai's calendar: nursery seedlings from October to January, flowers from about November, plants cleared in May.

The varieties are sorted by height: dwarf types of 15–25 cm for edging and pots, intermediate types of 30–60 cm for beds, and tall types of 60–90 cm or more for cutting, with UF/IFAS giving the whole range as six inches to three feet. Rust, a fungal disease that shows as orange pustules under the leaves, is the main problem in humid winter weather, so choose rust-resistant series where you can, water at the base in the morning and give the plants air. Deadheading, as the RHS advises, prolongs the display.

## Through the year

The snapdragon's Dubai season runs from October to April. Nursery seedlings go in from October to January; in early October, with highs still near 36 °C, plant in the evening and shade new plants for the first week. Plants are established by November and spikes open from then, with the best display from January to March when mean highs sit between 24 and 29 °C. Rust is the risk in cool, humid mornings in December to February. As April's highs reach the mid-30s, spikes shorten and flowers shrink, and plants are cleared in May to make way for summer bedding such as [Vinca](https://plantguide.ae/plants/vinca.md).

| When | What | Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Oct–Jan | Plant: Cool-season planting window | October and November are the main window; a later planting in December or January gives a later peak. Shade new plants if early October is still hot. |
| Nov–Apr | Flowers: Spikes from late autumn into spring | Deadhead spent spikes to prolong the display. |
| Dec–Mar | Feed: Light feed every 3–4 weeks | A balanced liquid feed while the plants are in flower. |
| Dec–Feb | Pest watch: Rust in humid winter weather | Orange pustules under leaves; water at the base in the morning and remove affected leaves. |
| May–Jun | Heat stress: Flowering stalls in the heat | Plants are cleared by May as highs pass 38 °C. |

## Care in Dubai

- **Watering in summer:** Not grown outdoors through summer; it is a cool-season annual in Dubai.
- **Watering in winter:** Water deeply two to three times a week at the base, in the morning; avoid wetting the foliage in humid weather, which encourages rust.
- **While establishing:** Keep evenly moist for the first fortnight; shade new seedlings for a few days if planted in October's warm spell.
- **Soil:** Rich, well-drained soil improved with compost; avoid heavy, wet ground.
- **Feeding:** Slow-release fertiliser at planting, then a balanced liquid feed every 3–4 weeks while in flower.
- **Pruning:** Pinch out the tip of young plants to encourage branching; deadhead spent spikes regularly, cutting back to a side shoot, to prolong flowering.
- **Planting:** Plant nursery seedlings from October, 20–30 cm apart for intermediate and tall types and 15–20 cm for dwarfs; stake tall types, and choose a rust-resistant series where offered.
- **Pests and problems:** Rust in humid winter weather; Aphids; Caterpillars; Root rot in heavy, wet soil
- **Toxicity:** The ASPCA lists the common snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses.

## Good and bad

**Pros**
- Gives vertical structure that most Dubai bedding lacks
- A Dubai Municipality cool-season bedding flower, easy to find as seedlings
- Dwarf, intermediate and tall types suit edging, beds and cutting
- Very wide colour range, and long-lasting as a cut flower
- Listed by the ASPCA as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses

**Cons**
- Cannot take Dubai's heat: flowering stalls by April and plants are cleared by May
- Rust and aphids can build up in humid, still winter weather
- Tall types need staking and shelter from wind
- Needs regular deadheading and feeding for a long display

## Common mistakes

- Planting in a hot October spell without shade. Seedlings put in at 35 °C wilt and stall; plant in the evening and shade them for the first week.
- Watering overhead in the evening. Wet foliage in cool, humid weather is what brings on rust, so water at the base and early in the day.
- Skipping deadheading. Spent spikes put energy into seed; cutting them back to a side shoot keeps the flowering going for weeks longer.
- Planting tall types in an exposed spot without a stake. A tall spike laid flat by the wind spoils the formal line and rarely recovers.
- Trying to keep it through summer. Flowering stalls in the heat, and the effort is better spent replanting for the next season.

## Good to know

- Dubai Municipality lists Antirrhinum among the seasonal flowers it plants, alongside petunia, marigold and zinnia.
- Snapdragons are tender perennials grown as annuals; UF/IFAS notes they suit October and November planting in a warm climate.
- The ASPCA lists common snapdragon as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses.
- Height varies a great deal by variety, from about 15 cm for dwarf edging types to 90 cm or more for cut-flower types, so check the label before buying.

## Using it in a garden

Roles: Winter bedding backbone, Cut flower, Paired containers, Formal border

Use snapdragons for the middle or back layer of a cool-season bed, with lower flowers in front, in full sun and well-drained soil enriched with compost. Plant tall types in drifts of one or two colours for a formal, almost architectural line, and put dwarf types in a matched pair of containers beside a door or steps. Keep them where you can reach them easily for deadheading, and where air moves, which reduces rust. Plan to clear the bed in May for summer bedding.

- [Petunia](https://plantguide.ae/plants/petunia.md): Petunia's low, trailing mass fills the front of the bed while snapdragon provides the vertical spires, and both share Dubai's cool-season window.
- [Dianthus](https://plantguide.ae/plants/dianthus.md): Dianthus is a compact edging flower with the same cool-season calendar, so it fills the base of a snapdragon bed with fringed flowers in matching colours.
- [Marigold](https://plantguide.ae/plants/marigold.md): Marigold's warm orange and gold contrast well with snapdragon's cooler pinks and whites, and it takes the same October planting.
- [Zinnia](https://plantguide.ae/plants/zinnia.md): Zinnia is another upright cool-season bedding flower from Dubai Municipality's rotation, giving a rounder, more open flower head behind or between the spikes.

## FAQ

**When should I plant snapdragons in Dubai?**  
From October to January. October and November give the longest display; a later planting in December or January peaks later in spring. Shade new plants if the weather is still hot.

**Why do my snapdragons stop flowering in April?**  
Snapdragons are cool-season plants, and flowering stalls as daytime highs pass the low 30s °C. April's average maximum in Dubai is 33.7 °C, so they are typically cleared by May.

**What are the orange spots under my snapdragon leaves?**  
Most likely rust, a fungal disease that is common in cool, humid weather. Remove affected leaves, water at the base in the morning and choose a rust-resistant series next time.

**Do snapdragons need staking?**  
Tall types of 60 cm and above usually do, especially in windy spots. Dwarf and intermediate types are normally self-supporting.

**Are snapdragons safe for pets?**  
The ASPCA lists common snapdragon as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses, though eating any plant can cause mild stomach upset.

## Related plants

[Petunia](https://plantguide.ae/plants/petunia.md) · [Dianthus](https://plantguide.ae/plants/dianthus.md) · [Marigold](https://plantguide.ae/plants/marigold.md) · [Zinnia](https://plantguide.ae/plants/zinnia.md)

## Photos

![Antirrhinum majus BCBG (02)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Antirrhinum_majus_BCBG_%2802%29.jpg)  
Photo: Craig Franklin / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons ([source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Antirrhinum_majus_BCBG_(02).jpg))

![Pink Snapdragon Flower 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Pink_Snapdragon_Flower_01.jpg)  
Photo: Sabina Bajracharya / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons ([source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pink_Snapdragon_Flower_01.jpg))

![INCOMPLETE DOMINANCE](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/INCOMPLETE_DOMINANCE.jpg)  
Photo: ARGHADIP DEY / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons ([source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:INCOMPLETE_DOMINANCE.jpg))

![White-Snapdragon-Flower(Antirrhinum majus) 05](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/White-Snapdragon-Flower%28Antirrhinum_majus%29_05.jpg)  
Photo: Sabina Bajracharya / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons ([source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:White-Snapdragon-Flower(Antirrhinum_majus)_05.jpg))

## Sources

- [RHS: Antirrhinum majus](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/69565/antirrhinum-majus/details)
- [UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions: Snapdragon](https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/snapdragon/)
- [ASPCA: Common Snapdragon](https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/aspca-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/common-snapdragon)
- [Emirates 24|7: Flowers Dubai plants in a year](https://www.emirates247.com/lifestyle/flowers-dubai-plants-in-a-year-2016-05-13-1.629918)
- [Acacia Garden Center: Dubai Garden Calendar](https://acaciagardencenter.com/blogs/blog/dubai-planting-calendar)