Plant Care Library

Group/Class:  Madame Butterfly Series

Description:

This variety is a tall, sturdy snapdragon with unusual, long lasting, azalea-like double blooms; impressive when massed in the garden or border; also great for containers

Ornamental Features

Madame Butterfly™ Red-Magenta Snapdragon has masses of beautiful spikes of lightly-scented scarlet pea-like flowers with fuchsia overtones rising above the foliage from mid spring to mid fall, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its small pointy leaves remain green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Madame Butterfly™ Red-Magenta Snapdragon is an herbaceous annual with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. It is a good choice for attracting bees and hummingbirds to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Madame Butterfly™ Red-Magenta Snapdragon is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Madame Butterfly™ Red-Magenta Snapdragon will grow to be about 26 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 18 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 12 inches apart. Although it's not a true annual, this fast-growing plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by cuttings; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Madame Butterfly™ Red-Magenta Snapdragon is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.