Summer Snap Dragons-Angelonia makes a beautiful addition to any flower garden, container or window box. This easy to care for perennial, also comes in pink, white, and blue. The rich purple variety shown above is called Archangel. Angelonia plants will complement any garden. The blooming period stretches from late spring to first frosts. Angelonia can live for many years, but is not winter hardy. Therefore they are grown like annuals in climates with cold winters and heavy frosts. If grown in containers, they can be moved to a more protected area.
I received this beautiful plant as a gift from a good friend. I’ve never had one before, and love the color.
It is a tender perennial and likes at least six hours of direct sun each day. It does well in zones 8-11. It prefers moist well drained soil, but does well in brief dry spells. Once well established you should let the soil dry between waterings.
No need to fertilize more than once a month. Fertilizing too often means more leaves and fewer flowers.
Angelonia has a tendency to sprawl, but does not need staking or deadheading. Occasionaly cutting the plant back gives it a bushier appearance. It does well in the ground and as a container plant or in window boxes.
Hummingbirds and butterflies are attracted to the Angelonia. It is also very good for cut flowers.
These plants can be grown from seed, or propagated from stem cuttings. I am going to try this. I will take a stem that does not have flowers and after removing all but the top leaves, I will plant it in moist soil until the stem begins to produce new leaves and is growing nicely. I’ll then move it to a small pot and water less frequently.
I was hoping to keep it as a houseplant, so I could enjoy the color inside, but I really don’t have a sunny enough window, so I am planning on transferring it to a slightly larger container and then growing it outdoors. As I mentioned above, this is my first Angelonia and this will be a learning experience for me. I am looking forward to getting to know this beautiful plant better. I will be sure to share what I learn with you, and if you are familiar with this plant I would love to hear from you. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Until next time, take care and stay well. Happy gardening.