The flower "dog", or snapdragon, is named so because of the similarity of form with the dog's face, which can open its mouth. This beautiful flower is popular among gardeners for decorating flower beds and borders, as well as arranging bouquets.
Description of snapdragon
The scientific name of the flower “dogs” is antirrinum (in Latin Antirrhinum), this perennial plant belongs to the herbaceous type of the plantain family and includes about 50 species. Its distribution area is Europe with a warm climate and North America.
Plants can consist of one or several stems with branches, racemes inflorescences up to 60 cm in size, large flowers. There are species of snapdragon with different stem heights, from dwarf to giant (about 1 m). Green shoots form bushes of a pyramidal shape, the leaves have an elongated oval shape and a light or dark green color with reddish veins.
The color of the antirrinum depends on the variety: shades of red and raspberry, pink, golden, yellow and white, as can be seen in the photo of the flowers of the “dog”. There is no only blue and blue color. The process of flower blooming is interesting: they open in the direction from the bottom up, and every 6 days, 2 flowers. The flowering time of each is up to 14 days, and in general, the plant blooms almost all summer - up to 3.5 months.
Different flower names
This plant is also interesting by the name of the flower "dog" in various countries. Depending on the place of growth, he was given the following names: in Russia - “dogs”, in Ukraine - “mouths”, in France - “cleft palate”, in England - “biting dragon” (snapdragon), and a literal translation from Greek antirrinum means "nose-like."
This flower can be found in the myths of ancient Greece in the story of the exploits of Hercules. After the victory of the ancient hero over the fierce Nemean lion, the goddess Flora gives Hercules a reward - a flower called the "snapdragon" in his honor. Since that time, the tradition of giving winners a bouquet with such an unusual flower has been preserved.
The antirrinum plant was discovered by biologists 5 centuries ago, however, only in the 19th century, German scientists began to develop new varieties. Over the past few years, more than 1000 varieties were created using the selection method from a single species of flower.
Cultivation and care
Snapdragon loves lighted places, grows on any soil, including loam and sandstone, however, prefers fertile and light, tolerates cold and frost well up to -5 ° C. Before planting, 3-4 kg of humus or compost are added, up to 200 g of ash, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of nitrophoska, gardeners also recommend for 1 square. m add 1 tbsp. a spoonful of Agricola fertilizer. The soil should be dug up, form a bed. Flower "dog" is planted with seedlings, loves mulching with peat between plants.
Seedlings of antirrinum are grown by sowing seeds mixed with ground in March in boxes. Then cover with glass to retain moisture and microclimate. Shoots appear on day 8-10, only after a month can they be dived into cups. For abundant flowering in the summer, it is better to pinch the central shoot after the seedling has grown to 8-10 cm.
Seedlings are planted in the soil in the second half of May with a distance between seedlings of 12-20 cm, depending on the variety. After rooting, they should be fed.
Many gardeners grow the flower "dog" as an annual, however, with good care, it winters well and blooms again in the second year. The beginning of flowering is June. When leaving, you should carefully monitor the moisture of the soil, water it better in the morning, flowering plants as well.
Basic rules for proper care that will help long flowering:
- regularly loosen the soil in the evening, remove weeds;
- tall flowers must be tied up so that they are not broken by the wind;
- wilted flowers should be removed immediately;
- to collect seeds at the bottom, specially leave a few flowers;
- timely top dressing.
Diseases of the Antirrinum
The most common flower diseases of the dog are gray rot, septoria and the black leg. Be sure to collect the affected parts, and treat the soil and the plant itself with antifungal drugs.
During the growing of seedlings with excess watering, a black leg disease is possible. To avoid this, seedlings for prophylaxis are treated with a solution of the drug “Khom” in a proportion of 1 tsp. per liter of water. During the period of growth of the seedlings planted in the ground, they do repeated treatment by spraying at the rate of 40 g of the product per bucket of water.
Pests of snapdragon: caterpillars, butterflies, scale insects, larvae of flies, against which treatment with special preparations should also be done.
Varieties of snapdragon
Flower "dog" is classified by gardeners according to the height of the plant:
-
Gigantella grow to 130 cm, these include varieties: Arthur (cherry flowers), F1 XL red and pink, The Rose (pink pearls), Opus red (shades of pink and lavender).
-
High varieties (up to 90 cm) are grown for cutting: Anna German (pale pink), terry Madame Butterfly, Canary, Maxi Orange Wonder (salmon shades), Goshenka (bright orange), Rocket Lemon, Swallowtail (combination of raspberry yellow), Rocket Orchids (cornflower blue), Rocket Bronze (yellow-orange), etc.
-
Medium (up to 60 cm) are planted to decorate flower beds and cut into bouquets, such varieties are more branched: Ruby (hot pink), Silver (pale pink with white), Day and Night or Queen of the Night (white and red flowers), Rosella (pink), Scarlett Monarch (burgundy red), White Monarch (white), Golden Monarch (yellow), etc.
-
Low-growing (25-40 cm) - planted to decorate flowerbeds and borders: Hobbit (sunny shades), Tip-top (light pink with yellow edging), Persin with cream, Lemon sherbet, Sunbeam (bright yellow), Snape, Rainbow mix (various shades of flowers).
-
Dwarf varieties of antirrinum (up to 20 cm) are an ornament of flower beds and alpine slides. Unlike other varieties - the central stem is lower than the rest, branches well. Popular varieties: Sakura color (creamy pink), Candy Showers (ampel), Magik Carpet (2-color), Floral show Bicolor (yellow-red flowers), Chimes (lilac-cherry), Floral Showers (shades from lemon to orange), Tom Thumb (lemon with dots), etc.
Wild Dogs
Many people met flowers like dogs in the forest and along the road. What are they called (photo below in the article) and what are the differences? Scientifically, such a picky plant is defined as Flax flax (lat. Linaria vulgaris), but is also popularly referred to as “medunica” and “wild flax”.
It grows in many regions of Russia, even in Siberia. Flaxseed has elongated leaves and bright yellow flowers with an orange spot at the top of the corolla; in late summer, black seeds ripen on it in boxes.
When you disconnect the wild flower of the "dog" from the base with the movement of the fingers, you can open the petals, which looks like a dog’s mouth. Flaxseed refers to medicinal plants useful for the stomach. Improves its microflora, increases appetite and relieves inflammation.
