Antirrhinum majus Maryland Royal – Purple-red snapdragon

The Antirrhinum majus Maryland Royal, commonly known as snapdragon, is an elegant spring and summer bloomer with purple-red flowers that immediately draw attention in borders, window boxes, and rock gardens. The Maryland series is known for its large-flowered, robust, and long-lasting blooms, making this snapdragon ideal for gardens, patios, and balcony boxes.

With its royal blue flowers and upright growth, the Maryland Royal is perfect for gardeners who love intense splashes of color and long-lasting blooms from late spring into summer. The flowers appear from June to September and attract butterflies, bees, and other pollinators, keeping the garden vibrant and biodiverse.

Origin and characteristics

Antirrhinum majus, also known as snapdragon, is a popular annual garden plant native to the Mediterranean region. The Maryland series is selected for its large flowers, strong stems, and compact growth, ensuring long-lasting beauty and making it suitable for both large borders and smaller gardens.

Features of Maryland Royal:

• Flower color: purple-red, trumpet-shaped flowers

• Height: 40–60 cm, upright growing

• Flowering period: June – September (spring and summer flowering)

• Leaf: fresh green, lanceolate and glossy

• Use: border, pots, containers, picking garden

The flowers are weather-stable and retain their colour well, making them ideal as cut flowers for bouquets or table decorations.

Location and care

The Antirrhinum majus Maryland Royal grows best in a sunny spot with well-drained, fertile soil. It's at home in borders, flower boxes, rock gardens, or as a cutting garden plant.

Growing and care tips:

• Sowing: indoors from March or directly outside after the last frost

• Planting distance: 20–25 cm between plants

• Soil: well-drained, nutritious and slightly moist

• Water: water regularly, especially during dry periods

• Support: For tall plants, light support may be necessary

• Promote flowering: removing dead flowers encourages new flowering

Thanks to its strong and compact growth, Maryland Royal is easy to combine with other summer flowering plants for a colorful garden appearance.

Use in garden and balcony

Maryland Royal is versatile in use:

• Spring and summer border: combine with pink, white or yellow flowers for a striking contrast

• Flower boxes and pots: compact, upright growth makes them ideal for patios and balconies

• Pick-your-own garden: sturdy flowers suitable for bouquets

• Natural garden: attracts butterflies, bees and other pollinators for biodiversity

Due to their compact and even growth, the plants can be planted both in groups and as solitary plants, which offers a lot of flexibility.

Bee-friendly and low-maintenance

The Antirrhinum majus Maryland Royal is bee-friendly and attracts a variety of pollinators, contributing to a healthy and biodiverse garden. Care is simple: water during dry periods, remove spent flowers, and enjoy the long-lasting color in your garden.

Summary

Conclusion

The Antirrhinum majus Maryland Royal is a graceful, purple-red summer bloomer that adds color, elegance, and biodiversity to the garden. Its vigorous growth, compact size, and long-lasting blooms make it ideal for borders, pots, and cutting gardens.

An excellent choice for gardeners looking for bold pops of color, reliable flowering, and bee-friendly plants for a vibrant, sunny garden.