Snapdragons are a beloved cool weather annual flower found in gardens across North America. With their elegant, fragrant blooms on tall spikes, it’s easy to see why they’re so popular. But when it comes to snapdragon cold tolerance, many gardeners have questions. Exactly how cold hardy are snapdragons?
The good news is that snapdragons are quite cold tolerant under the right conditions. By understanding their ideal climate preferences and properly hardening them off in fall, you can enjoy snapdragons in your garden through winter in many regions
In this complete guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about growing snapdragons in cold weather, including:
- The ideal climate for snapdragons
- How to prepare them for winter
- Their cold tolerance levels
- Overwintering techniques
- The best cold hardy varieties
- Troubleshooting cold damage
What is the Ideal Climate for Snapdragons?
Native to the Mediterranean region, snapdragons thrive in cool, temperate climates. They flourish best when temperatures are:
- Nighttime lows: 40-50°F
- Daytime highs: 60-75°F
These conditions are typically found in spring and fall in most of the U.S. While tolerant of some frost, snapdragons grow best when days are mild and nights are cool to avoid extreme heat or cold.
Their peak blooming time is during fall in Southern regions and early summer in the North. However, established plants can withstand much colder temperatures than their preferred range as long as they are properly hardened off before winter arrives.
How to Harden Off Snapdragons for Winter
The key to helping snapdragons survive freezing winter temperatures is gradually hardening them off as fall approaches. Here are some tips:
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Allow them to mature – Don’t plant seeds or tender transplants too late in fall when cold snaps are imminent Give plants time to become well-established before winter.
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Provide supplemental water – Keep soils moist but not soggy during fall and winter to prevent drought stress Add a layer of mulch to retain moisture,
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Withhold fertilizer – Fertilizing snapdragons during fall can encourage tender new growth that is more prone to cold damage.
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Leave developing seed pods – Allowing snapdragons to set seed before winter seems to boost their cold hardiness.
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Protect from wind – Cold winds can dessicate and damage plants. Use row covers, tunnels, or windbreaks to shield snapdragons during winter.
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Introduce cold gradually – If possible, move potted plants to unheated garages or porches before exposing them to freezing temps outside.
With these simple hardening techniques, your snapdragons will be primed to handle whatever winter throws at them!
How Cold Hardy are Snapdragons?
Once properly hardened off in fall, most snapdragons varieties can withstand freezing winter temperatures in the range of:
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Freezing point (32°F) – Extended frosts down to freezing are generally fine for mature, established plants. New seedlings or transplants may suffer damage.
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Mid 20s°F – Snapdragons can tolerate short periods of temperatures dipping into the mid 20s (-5 to -2°C) when hardened off in fall. Prolonged deep freezes may cause some dieback.
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Teens°F – Brief exposures to temperatures in the teens (-7 to -9°C) may be survived by dormant snapdragons but typically cause significant dieback of shoots. Plants often regrow from roots in spring.
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Single digits°F – Very cold hardy varieties may live through brief cold snaps in the single digits but extreme freezes below 5°F (-15°C) usually kill most snapdragons, especially unprotected plants.
Keep in mind, exact cold tolerance depends on the individual variety, plant maturity, soil moisture, and exposure. But most garden snapdragons can remain alive with some protection into the mid to low 20s°F and the very toughest cultivars may persist as low as 5-10°F.
Best Techniques for Overwintering Snapdragons
If you live in an area prone to extreme winter freezes, there are some extra steps you can take to help your snapdragons survive the cold:
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Cold frames – A simple cold frame constructed of straw bales, plastic sheeting, and old windows provides an insulated environment where snapdragons can overwinter in the garden, especially if given heat sources like lights or heating cables. Close the lid during freezing weather.
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Row covers – Lightweight row cover fabric creates a protective microclimate that shields plants from wind and cold. Use hoops to prevent the fabric from resting on plants. Ventilate on sunny days.
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Heavy mulching – A thick 4-6 inch layer of straw, shredded leaves, or other organic mulch helps insulate plant roots and crown. It’s best to wait until soil freezes before mulching to avoid smothering plants and encouraging rodents.
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Potted snapdragons – Bringing containerized plants into unheated garages, porches, or greenhouses gives them extra protection from winter extremes while still allowing them to go dormant.
Which Snapdragons are Most Cold Hardy?
When selecting varieties for overwintering, look for these traits that boost cold tolerance:
- Large, mounded cultivars
- Old-fashioned open pollinated types
- Default flower colors like white, pink, red, or purple
- Semi-evergreen foliage
Some great cold-hardy snapdragon cultivars to try include: ‘Montego Blue’, ‘Montego Coral Rose’, ‘Rocket Lavender’, ‘Yellow Butterfly’, and ‘Maryland Pink’.
Troubleshooting Cold Damage
Even when hardened off properly, snapdragons may still exhibit some cold injury after exposure to extreme freezing temperatures such as:
- Wilted, water-soaked foliage
- Discolored, browned leaves
- Damaged shoots and buds
- Dieback of stems and upper branches
Don’t give up too soon on plants that look damaged! Snapdragons often regrow from their lower parts in spring. Prune away dead sections, provide frost protection, and wait to see if new growth emerges when temperatures warm up.
While individual plants may perish after bitter winters, leaving the roots intact allows snapdragons to self-sow and regrow as annuals the following year. With their impressive cold hardiness, a spot for snapdragons is a must in any fall garden!
One of the best aspects of snapdragons is their ability to thrive under cool conditions in both spring and fall. While not indefinitely hardy, most varieties tolerate light frosts and short freezes when hardened off, especially with some protection. By sheltering plants from harsh winds and extreme cold, you can enjoy their elegant blooms season after season.
When provided slightly protected microclimates, plenty of mature foliage, moist soil, and cold-tolerant varieties, snapdragons can often endure freezing temperatures into the 20s°F and sometimes brief stints even lower in dormancy. No flower heralds the start of fall like a tall row of vibrant snapdragons. With their outstanding cold fortitude, these beauties fill gardens with vibrant color well after summer annuals have faded away.
Snapdragons make ideal fall plantings
By Norman Winter MSU Horticulturist Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center
The snapdragon is one of the most beautiful plants for cool season color, and it thrives through winter until late spring or early summer heat arrives. Snapdragons love temperatures in the low 40s at night and low 70s by day, which make them ideally situated for fall in the South.
Many gardeners dont realize snapdragons are very cold hardy. Once established in the bed and hardened off, they can take sub-freezing temperatures with no problem. When intense cold spells arrive, they often suck almost all available moisture from beds. That is when we need to make sure they stay well watered. If it is really cold, completely cover the snaps with a layer of pine straw for a few days if necessary, removing once the temperatures have moderated.
Snapdragons prefer well drained, organic-rich beds prepared much like you would for pansies. Till in 3 to 4 inches of organic matter to a depth of 8 to 10 inches. While tilling, work in two pounds of a slow-release, 12-6-6-fertilizer per 100 square feet of bed space.
There is a color of snapdragon that is sure to fit any scheme. These include red, yellow, pink, burgundy, bronze, orange, white and multiple colors. For the most effective display, I still believe massing the beds in single colors is the way to go. A couple of years ago, I stopped at the Natchez Sonic Drive-In and saw their wonderful bed of 24-inch-tall yellow snapdragons.
Dont forget that as these fragrant spikes get larger, they also are good for cut flowers, particularly the old-fashioned Rockets. My favorites have been Sonnets and Liberty that get about 18 to 24 inches tall. I have been patiently waiting for the new selections to come our way, and I am happy to say that I have seen beautiful Ribbons that also get 18 inches and the new dwarf series called Montego.
Miniature varieties have always been popular in Mississippi, particularly the Tahiti, Bells and Floral Showers. The dwarf Montego series is a big improvement as they hold their flowers much more erect. These are great in the landscape and super for growing in containers.
Trailing varieties have really caught on with gardeners for use in the landscape, baskets and mixed containers. The big three series in trailing snapdragons are Lampion, Chandelier and Lumenaire. If you have grown these or looked closely, it becomes apparent they not only have a different habit and feel but also offer additional heat tolerance by virtue of hybridization of Antirrhinum majus with A. hispanicum and A. molle species from Spain. As is typical of the large varieties, the trailing types come in several colors.
Snapdragons work well in combination with pansies, panolas, violas, and ornamental kale or cabbage. Plant them in bold drifts in front of evergreen shrubs to show off their color. Try planting them close to beds of spring-flowering daffodils.
Snapdragons are not that hard to grow. Deadhead to keep flowers producing, water during dry spells, mulch for winter protection, and feed with a light application of fertilizer in very early spring and again a month later.
Snapdragon selections are very good right now and a little fall planting and sprucing up will give your home landscape an inviting appearance.
SNAPDRAGON GROWING GUIDE: 5 Essential Tips
FAQ
What is the coldest temperature snapdragons can tolerate?
Snapdragons love temperatures in the low 40s at night and low 70s by day, which make them ideally situated for fall in the South. Many gardeners don’t realize snapdragons are very cold hardy. Once established in the bed and hardened off, they can take sub-freezing temperatures with no problem.
Do snapdragons need frost protection?
Snapdragons can handle a light frost or two.
Can snapdragons survive freeze?
Answer: Although the flowers might have been damaged, pansies and snapdragons are hardy into the teens and should come through the recent cold just fine.
When can I put snapdragons outside?
- Snapdragons are cold-hardy: They can tolerate light frosts, so you can plant them relatively early in the season.
- Timing for Los Angeles: With Los Angeles’ mild winters, you can start planting snapdragons in late winter or early spring, aiming for a few weeks before the last expected frost (which is typically in late February or early March).
- Starting indoors: You can start snapdragons indoors 6-10 weeks before the last frost date, and then transplant them outdoors after they’ve been hardened off.
- Direct sowing: You can also direct sow snapdragon seeds into the garden a few weeks before the last expected frost.
- Hardening off: Before transplanting, make sure to harden off your seedlings by gradually exposing them to cooler temperatures and outdoor conditions.
- Spacing: Space snapdragon plants about 9 inches apart.
- Sunlight: Snapdragons prefer full sun to partial shade.
- Soil: They thrive in well-drained soil.
Can snapdragons survive winter?
Use row covers, tunnels, or windbreaks to shield snapdragons during winter. Introduce cold gradually: If possible, move potted plants to unheated garages or porches before exposing them to freezing temps outside. With these simple hardening techniques, your snapdragons will be primed to handle whatever winter throws at them!
Are snapdragons cold hardy?
With their tall elegant flower spikes in a rainbow of colors, snapdragons are a beloved cool weather annual in gardens across North America. While these fragrant beauties thrive in the mild temperatures of spring and fall, many gardeners wonder just how cold hardy snapdragons are when winter approaches.
Is Snapdragon a good winter plant?
Snapdragon varieties are beautiful and meaningful, so it is becoming the choice of many garden owners. The snapdragon cold tolerance is suitable in cooler climates, which greatly helps growing and caring for this plant, especially in winter. Hello I am Samuel.
What temperature does a Snapdragon plant need to freeze?
Freezing point (32°F): Extended frosts down to freezing are generally fine for mature, established plants. New seedlings or transplants may suffer damage. Mid 20s°F: Snapdragons can tolerate short periods of temperatures dipping into the mid 20s (-5 to -2°C) when hardened off in fall. Prolonged deep freezes may cause some dieback.
Can snapdragons grow in snow?
Pictures of snout flowers in the snow are not uncommon because they tolerate cold very well; even on frosty days, 20 – 32 o F is not a problem. The plant is smooth and gives the most beautiful flowers in cool temperatures. However, the lowest temp for snapdragons is -15°F because sub-freezing temperatures can still kill them.
Are snapdragons drought tolerant?
The snapdragon temperature tolerance is good but has poor drought tolerance, so there will be certain considerations when planting. For the plant to grow well and flower beautifully, a combination of many factors is required: The weak method of growing is sowing seeds.