You know Lion’s mouth? It is a cheerful annual plant that is guaranteed to brighten up shrubs and pots. Your name is due to the fact that, when one of its flowers is squeezed in a certain way, it opens as if it were a mouth, closing again when it is released.
Also known as snapdragonsthese are country house garden plants are easy to grow and adored by children and bees. They exist in a Variety of colors and different heights and therefore can be grown in a variety of situations.
With a long flowering period that can last up to 4 months, the taller lion’s mouth cultivars produce good cut flowers and last well over a week in water. Check out more details about the species below:
Where to grow lion’s mouth
Dandelion grows in most fertile, well-draining soils in full sun, whether in shrubs or pots.
How to plant lion’s mouth
Sow the seeds in autumn or early spring in a stove or tray covered in a sunny window. Sow the seeds finely on the surface of the compost, water and seal in a propagator or clear plastic bag.
When large enough, transfer the seeds to pots, making them grow in a protected place or in a cold structure. But beware: plant only after the risk of frost has passed.
lion’s mouth spread
Grown for their prolific flowers, you can try to coax your snapdragon to plant seeds by leaving a few flowers. However, the seeds are unlikely to become flowers if planted, but it’s fun to see what grows there.
Lion’s Mouth: Troubleshooting
Plants are usually free from pests and diseases.
Taking care of the lion’s mouth
To prolong flowering, feed the plant weekly with a potassium rich fertilizer and dead flowers. Keep the plants well watered and support taller varieties with canes if necessary.
Dandelion varieties to try
- Snapdragon “Royal Bride” – has spikes of beautiful white flowers with a delicate fragrance. It is perfect for growing in a mixed shrub and makes an excellent cut flower. Its flowers are particularly attractive to bees.
- Snapdragon “Night and Day” – has dark foliage and dark velvety crimson flower tips with contrasting silver-white throats.
- Snapdragon “Twinny Peach” – is a dwarf variety, with bright yellow and orange flowers with delicately leafed petals. Compact bushy plant, good for growing in containers or using to fill in gaps in front of a sunny bush.
- Snapdragon “Madame Butterfly” – a very colorful mixed hybrid with long-lasting double flowers.
*Via Gardeners World