Snapdragon flowers, or Antirrhinum majus, get their name from their individual blossoms, which snap open like the mouth of a dragon when squeezed on the side.
Appearance
Snapdragon stems are strong spikes stuffed from top to half-down with tiny blossoms so thick that they obscure the plant's leaves. These terminal racemes, or blossom clusters, are an excellent contrast to single-blossom flowers such as tulips or petunias. Snapdragons come in orange, lavender, white, peach, pink, red, copper, and yellow, in a range of hues and bi-colors.
Growing Snapdragons
Snapdragons can be grown from seeds or planted as seedlings after the last spring frost. The plants should be six to 12 inches apart, depending on the variety, as they can be from six to 60 inches high. When the seedlings are 2-4 inches tall, cut the stem tips to encourage shorter but fuller flower spikes.
Growing Snapdragons
Snapdragons prefer partial shade, so they will wilt in the hot summer. If the blooms are cut back, then watered heavily, they will produce additional stems to bloom later in the season. Some gardeners, however, like to let some stalks survive so the plant will sow seedlings for the next season.
Flower Gardens
Snapdragons complement cool-season annuals such as pansies and calendulas, and contrast beautifully with spring blooming plants such as alyssums and impatiens.
Flower Gardens
An annual flower, meaning it survives only for one season, the snapdragon makes excellent borders for flower gardens and will dress up any bouquet of cut flowers.
Appeal
The 60-inch variety of snapdragons must be staked up. Some gardeners used to avoid snapdragons because the blossoms "shattered," or fell in messy clusters around the stem, but shatter-proof varieties have been developed.
Source: http://www.ehow.com/facts_5712247_snapdragon-flowers_.html
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