Dragon Flower – Useful in Kitchen & Garden
When you are emotionally lost and exhausted, you may find the answer within the beauty of nature. Flowers are one of nature’s most beautiful gifts to human beings. In fact, many studies have shown the importance of having green spots in the house and the working space, because they are able to reduce stress and boost the mood. Flowers have a delicate but complex and unique structure, with attractive forms. Moreover, flowers have a charming scent that diffuses in the air to lighten the atmosphere. For any special occasion, it is common to accompany it with a subtle bouquet to a beloved person.
This article is about the dragon flower, Antirrhinum, or Snapdragons. Bushy, upright or branched, drooping, and snappy-colored, this flower can be perennial when it grows in good conditions where it is protected from harsh winters. It is a plant full of great qualities, perfect for your garden or balcony.
In this article, the following points are going to be developed:
* Description of the dragon flower
* Few facts about the dragon flower * How to plant the dragon flower?
* How to grow and maintain the dragon flower?
Description of the Dragon Flower
Native to the Mediterranean regions, the beautiful dragon flower, more commonly known as the snapdragon, is a frosty perennial flower. It hardly supports temperatures below -4 degrees C. This is why it is an annual or biennial cultivated plant. There are three categories of varieties grouped by size: large, up to 1 m tall; medium, 30 to 60 cm high; and dwarf below 30 cm.
Dragon flowers are plants with erect stems, sometimes branching, bearing green leaves, at the base. Flowering lasts from May to September. The flowers are grouped in long terminal clusters and offer a sweet fragrance. You can find them in a beautiful range of colors: white, red, orange, yellow, pink, purple or bicolor. More or less large, they are slightly pedunculated. The corole, formed by two lips with lobes, rounded and swollen at the base, seems to be an open mouth, hence the name “wolf’s mouth.”
Few Facts About the Dragon Flowers
You can find the dragon flower in different sizes. For instance, the Tom Thumb is about 20cm in height and various colors, while the Black Prince is about 40cm in height and has bronze foliage, but the Race Sonnet stands up to 60cm tall.
Second, for the tall size, you can find the Madame Butterfly with 80cm, and large double flowers in different colors, or the Race Precursor, which is also tall.
Dragon flowers are also great for vegetable patches; they can be good allies for the gardener. Indeed, it seems that their scent attracts bees and bumblebees
If your flowers change color from their original color each year, this is completely normal. By re-sowing naturally, the dragon flowers can change their appearance from year to year.
You can also use dragon flower in cooking, which has very interesting culinary characteristics. Even if it is bitter and sometimes spicy, its taste is close to that of endive, and it is very decorative.
How to Plant the Dragon Flower<
The beautiful and nicely scented dragon flower can grow in any soil but for perfect conditions, they require a dry ground that is sandy or stony. They can then sow abundantly if you let them rise. However, the plants obtained do not always have the same appearance or the same color as the mother plant. This plant is very resistant to heat.
Sow the dragon flower between March and April in a well-lit spot, as it is the best period for it. Do not cover the seeds that need light to germinate. Space the varieties 30 to 50 cm depending on their height. Water them regularly to ensure good growth to your plant.
You can also cultivate the dragon flower as a biennial plant, to obtain an early flowering in June. For that, you should sow them in early September. We advise you to pinch plants regularly to promote their branching.
How to Grow and Maintain the Dragon Flower
The dragon flower is a plant that requires very little maintenance. To encourage the growing process, and the appearance of new flowers, you should remove the faded flowers as you go along. During the hot weather, do not hesitate to water your dragon flowers during the evening to prevent them from drying out.
We can recommend to add liquid fertilizer during the flowering to encourage more flowers and more colors. If you leave your dragon flowers in place without touching them, they spontaneously re-seed from year to year, to bring more of their amazing colors and beautiful scent.
Although the dragon flower is an annual plant, it perfectly withstands mild winters and sows naturally from year to year. It can resist negative temperatures up to -5 degrees C. If your region has a cold climate in winter, do not hesitate to protect your flowers with a thick coat of dried leaves.
Flowers are an amazingly colored and perfumed gift of nature to all beings. You can always find the right reason to plant them in your garden or to have them close to you in your desk or your workspace, or any empty spot. Flowers have an incredible ability to bring happiness, stress relief, and joy because they are so full of beauty. There are plenty of reasons and occasions to offer them to the people dear to your heart. For your friend who loves gardening or your beloved partner, you can find in the flowers the solution to please everyone that you love. The dragon flower exists in different sizes and colors. It is a beautiful and nicely scented flower to put in your garden as a masterpiece to impress your visitors. Moreover, they can be used in cocking for their unique flavor bite and spicy or their charming dressing.
