The life of the Snap Dragon?

Question

When the petals fall off the snapdragon is it dead? Should I cut it back. Any help is more than useful. Also are they a 1 shot flower or will they come back each spring?

Answer 1

First keep cutting the plants back as they go to seed.  If you have the tall ones called "Rocket".  You can mulch then and they will come back.  I have some 3 year plants and I live in Wisconsin.  

The shorter plants do not some back however the can reseed themselves.  Snapdragon seeds need direct light in order to germinate so don't cover them:)

Answer 2

Most snapdragons are annuals except for 2 species from The Medditterrian Regions.  To make info seeking easier look for Snapdragon under its scientific name Anthirrhinum majus. Annual means don't don't come back each spring. However snapdragons can reseed. Produce seeds and those seeds over winter and flower next year.

Your can cut off the dead flowers if your want more flowers and you'll get more for this fall  or this summer as snapdragons like cool weather rather than hot weather an leave those to set seed for the next spring. A snapdragon seed capsule is going look like a balloon and dry out and turn brown.  You can get a ziplock sandwich bag and collect the seeds and store them in a cool dry place till spring and plant them or let nature do the job for you. Check for snapdragon seedlings in the spring.

They are going to look like light green mint seedlings with narrower leaves.

Don't expect clones of the original plants thou.

Answer 3

If you want your dragons to last longer every season, don't let the flowers go to seed.  Cut off the wilting flowers and the dragons will try to grow more blooms.  It's every flower's desire to go to seed--it's considered the o****m of the Flora World--and by god that's what it will try to do come bugs or no water.

Answer 4

I plant snap dragons every year. The are annuals. You want to keep the dried flowers that are done pulled off. They will keep blooming all summer long.Clear into fall until you have a good frost.

Answer 5

Snap dragons are annuals.They live one season.Cut the dead flowerheads off.They will continue to send out side shoots that will bloom.