How to Grow Snapdragons in South Africa

Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) are cool-season flowers sold in tall cut-flower, tall garden and compact bedding forms. The seed is extremely small. Use the section linked from your product page and check whether your chosen variant is raw or pelleted.

Shared sowing method

Firm and moisten a fine seed-starting mix before sowing. Raw seed receives only a dusting of fine vermiculite, about 1–2 mm; do not bury it at ordinary seed depth. Keep 18–21 C for most types, with bright filtered light and even moisture. Transplant after two to three true leaves and avoid root-bound plugs.

Pelleted seed is handled by form: place one pellet on the surface, wet it thoroughly until the coating begins to soften, maintain even moisture and use at most a very light dusting. The purchased variant title and packet warning always control.

Potomac cut-flower snapdragons

Potomac is a tall Group 4 warm/long-day cut-flower series. Current raw breeder culture is light cover, 18–21 C and 4–5 days; stems reach about 99–152 cm and require support. Use 8–10 cm intensive cut-row spacing with netting or 15–20 cm in a home border for airflow.

Orange, Pink, Royal, White and Yellow are raw-only. Red is sold in raw and pelleted forms. Crimson, Dark Orange, Dark Pink, Ivory White and Lavender are pelleted-only. Follow the raw or pellet method above; do not bury pelleted seed 5 mm deep.

Do not pinch for one premium main stem. An optional pinch creates more but shorter stems.

Shop Potomac snapdragon seeds: Antirrhinum (Snapdragon) Potomac Orange Seeds, Antirrhinum (Snapdragon) Potomac Pink Seeds, Antirrhinum (Snapdragon) Potomac Red Seeds, Antirrhinum (Snapdragon) Potomac Royal Seeds, Antirrhinum (Snapdragon) Potomac White Seeds, Antirrhinum (Snapdragon) Potomac Yellow Seeds, Antirrhinum Potomac Crimson Seed, Antirrhinum Potomac Dark Orange Seed, Antirrhinum Potomac Dark Pink Seed, Antirrhinum Potomac Ivory White Seed, Antirrhinum Potomac Lavender Seed.

Rocket Mix

Rocket Mix is raw seed and a tall garden/cut type. Cover lightly, aim for 18–24 C and expect 4–8 days. Plants reach approximately 76–91 cm high and 41–46 cm wide; space 36–46 cm in a garden. Support in exposed sites.

Shop Rocket Mix seeds: Antirrhinum (Snapdragon) Rocket Mix Seeds.

Snapshot Mixture

Snapshot is a compact bedding snapdragon about 20–25 cm high and 25–30 cm wide. Raw and pelleted seed forms exist; the stocked variant label controls. Space 15–20 cm apart. Use in borders, pots and mass bedding.

Shop Snapshot Mixture seeds: Antirrhinum (Snapdragon) Snapshot Mixture Seeds.

Twinny Formula Mix

Twinny is raw-seeded dwarf F1 with double flowers. Press onto the moist surface; no cover is required, although a light vermiculite dusting may help retain moisture. Germinate at 18–22 C; radicles appear in about 3–4 days under controlled conditions. Mature plants reach 35–40 cm high and 25–30 cm wide; space 25–30 cm apart.

Pinching is optional for more branching and adds roughly one to two weeks to crop time. Twinny suits beds and containers and can flower through light frost.

Shop Twinny Formula Mix seeds: Antirrhinum (Snapdragon) Twinny Formula F1 Mix Seeds.

Madame Butterfly Mix

Madame Butterfly is raw seed with double azalea-like blooms for borders and cutting. Cover lightly, aim for 22–24 C and expect about five days under controlled conditions. Plants reach approximately 61–76 cm high and 36–41 cm wide; space 35–40 cm apart. Support in wind and cutting rows. Pinching is not recommended.

Shop Madame Butterfly Mix seeds: Antirrhinum Madame Butterfly Mix Seed.

Regional South African timing

• Winter-rainfall Western Cape: sow late summer into autumn for cool-season growth. Protect trays from heavy rain and maintain airflow.
• Frost-prone interior: start in late winter under protection or sow in autumn only where young plants can be protected from hard frost.
• Humid coast and KZN Midlands: target the coolest drier window, widen spacing and keep foliage dry overnight.
• Hot-dry or subtropical interior: grow as an autumn-to-winter crop. Afternoon shade can reduce heat stress, but deep shade weakens stems and flowers.

Care, harvest and troubleshooting

Plant in sun and fertile, free-draining soil. Water at soil level and feed lightly; snapdragons are sensitive to high salts. Net tall rows. Harvest when the lower three to five florets open, or deadhead garden plants for repeat bloom.

Failure commonly comes from deep sowing, dry pellets, saturated cold mix or root-bound plugs. Maintain airflow to reduce damping-off, rust, mildew and Botrytis. Inspect for aphids and thrips. Use only locally labelled controls.