common snapdragon

The common snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) is a popular garden plant belonging to the genus Antirrhinum in the Plantaginaceae family. Native to the western Mediterranean region and western North America, snapdragons are typically short-lived perennials, though some are annuals.1

These plants are characterized by their simple, lance-shaped leaves and showy, tubular flowers. The flowers are bilaterally symmetrical with a liplike mouth that can be forced open by bees, their primary pollinators. Snapdragon flowers come in a variety of colors, including white, yellow, orange, red, pink, and lavender, or combinations thereof. The name "snapdragon" comes from the fancied resemblance of the flowers to a dragon's face.12