When to plant and prune Snapdragon
Snapdragon flowers from mid June to early October and the dates below cover planting, flowering and the pruning window.
Planting, flowering and pruning by region
Snapdragon is frost-tender, so its timings shift across the UK. Plot works them out from the Midlands and Lowland Wales baseline using Met Office average frost dates.
| Where you are | Plant | In flower | Prune |
|---|---|---|---|
| South West Coast and Cornwall | mid April to early May | mid June to early October | mid June to late September |
| South Coast and Channel | mid April to early May | mid June to early October | mid June to late September |
| Greater London (Urban Heat Island) | mid April to early May | mid June to early October | mid June to late September |
| South East and Home Counties | early May to late May | mid June to early October | mid June to late September |
| East Anglia | early May to late May | mid June to early October | mid June to late September |
| Midlands and Lowland Wales | mid May to early June | mid June to early October | mid June to late September |
| Wales and West Coast | early May to late May | mid June to early October | mid June to late September |
| Northern England | late May to mid June | mid June to early October | mid June to late September |
| Scotland Lowlands and Central Belt | late May to mid June | mid June to early October | mid June to late September |
| Scotland Highlands and Islands | mid June to mid July | mid June to early October | mid June to late September |
| Northern Ireland | early May to late May | mid June to early October | mid June to late September |
| Channel Islands and Isle of Man | early April to late April | mid June to early October | mid June to late September |
Growing notes
Half-hardy perennials almost always grown as annual bedding, planted out after the last frost (usually from late May) and cleared at the end of the season. Flowers from summer into autumn. Choose single-flowered types if you want pollinators: the RHS notes that, unlike single snapdragons, double flowers do not provide food for pollinating insects. Rust is the main problem - grow rust-resistant series such as 'Coronette', 'Monarch' or 'Tahiti' and avoid replanting in the same spot.
At a glance
- Spacing
- 30 cm between plants
- Eventual height
- 90 cm
- Eventual spread
- 30 cm
- Hardiness
- H3
- Sun
- Full
- Frost tender
- Yes
- Grows in a container
- Yes, 10 litres or more
- Balcony rating
- 4 out of 5
Feeding
Potassium-rich liquid feed every couple of weeks for plants in containers.
Pruning group
Cut or deadhead faded flower spikes to encourage a second flush of side spikes
What usually goes wrong
- antirrhinum rust
- aphids
- grey mould on crowded plants
- slugs on young plants
- wind damage to tall spikes
Related guides
Timings cross-checked against RHS guidance for snapdragon.