What Type of Flowers Are Snapdragons?

Classification

• These plants are members of the Antirrhinum genus, also called the dragon flowers. This genus was once classified with the figworts. It now falls under the plantain family, and snap dragons are actually distantly related to the foxglove (Digitalis purpurea). Like most other members of the Plantaginaceae, snap dragons have capsule-shaped pods and produce seeds every year.

Structure

• The snap dragon has a unique flower structure that makes it stand out from other members of the same family. Where most flowers are made up of several distinct petals, the petals and sepals in the snap dragon have partially fused to create a tube shape. The flowers form on what is called a raceme, or modified flower spike. They are attached directly to a main stem via tiny “stemlets” or pedicles, instead of growing off of separate stems like the daisy.

Symmetry

• Most flowering plants produce symmetrical flowers that can be divided into two identical parts by drawing a line through the center. Snap dragon flowers are asymmetrical and cannot be divided this way. In fact, the way that snap dragon flowers form means that it can be hard to find two flowers that are exactly alike, even on the same plant. The result is a unique blossom with its own special charm.

Variations

• While all snap dragon flowers are of the same general type, there are some variations between the blooms of different varieties. Plants that produce flowers similar to those of wild snap dragons are called “mouth-type” varieties. Their blossoms resemble tiny dragon faces that can be squeezed to make the flower tube open and close. Many of the showier garden varieties have a different type of flower, however. These are called “open face” or “butterfly-type” flowers. They produce more distinct petals at the end of a long fused tube. This kind of flower provides more color in the garden but doesn't look as much like a dragon.