Angelonia
Overview:
Angelonia, often referred to as the "summer snapdragon," is beloved for its vibrant and long-lasting blooms. This hardy plant thrives in full sun and can endure the heat of summer, making it a popular choice for gardens in the south. Angelonia flowers come in a variety of colors, including shades of purple, pink, white, and blue, adding a splash of color to any setting. Their upright growth habit and continuous flowering throughout the season make them ideal for borders, containers, and cottage gardens. Additionally, angelonia is relatively low-maintenance, requiring minimal care once established, and it attracts pollinators such as bees and butterflies.
Seed starting:
We typically do not start angelonia from seed here, because our grow space is so limited. If you wish to start them from seed you can surface sow the seeds ( spring seeds on top of soil) followed by a light spring of vermiculite after sowing.
Germination occurs typically 7-14 days. Keep air temperatures around 70-75 degrees for best results. Check out my seed starting guide for more tips and tricks for indoor seed starting. Start seeds indoors in February- march on our zone 9b. These flowers are typically readily available at nurseries if you forget to start them, or do not wish to.
When to plant outdoors:
Angelonais thrive in HOT weather. Plant after the last frost, but better yet, plant after soil temperatures are at least 50 degrees. For us here in zone 9b Phoenix, we start planting them in April.
Spacing:
6-9” apart
Height:
9-18”
Sun:
Full sun 6-8+ hours
Flower Support:
Not needed.
Fertilizing:
feed plants with slow-release fertilizer at the time of planting, as well as weekly liquid feed for best results and blooms.
Typical bloom time:
April - October
Succession plant?
No
Seed Sourcing:
swallowtail seeds and Geo seeds are my go-to’s.
Pairing plants:
Pentas, Vinca, Rudbeckia, Zinnia, sweet potato vine, sunflowers
Favorite varieties:
Proven winners Angelonia Angelface ‘Blue’ offer BIG and impactful blooms in your garden. Perfect to pair with vinca kawaii ‘peppermint’ & ‘red’ for a stunning Americana moment. This variety is not grown from seed, so look for plants at your local nursery.
STUNNING summer flower bowl planter featuring the Proven winners angelonia angelface ‘blue’, vinca kawaii ‘fuschia’ and vinca Cora cascade ‘violet’.
Angelonia Archangel ‘cherry’ is a stunning plum red color, that pairs well with any summer color pallet. Vinca kawaii ‘red’ & ‘fuschia’ along with Angelonia Angelface ‘blue’ make a great ‘berry’ theme color pallet.
Another moment for Angelonia archangel ‘cherry’ making a great paring with dwarf Lisianthus Julietta ‘blue’ and a chartreuse sweet potato vine for a vibrant paring in this railing planter.
Angelonia Archangel ‘purple’ making a great combo in this purple and white themed garden bed. Next year, I would probably add the Angelface ‘Blue’ for a better impact.
Dead head blooms to clean up plants periodically through the growing season. Snip spend blooms down to the base of the plant where you see new growth emerging. Angelonia are a great addition to any summer garden. Plant them for beautiful blooms all summer long. You won’t regret it!
