Snapdragon

Antirrhium majus

  • Snapdragon
  • Snapdragon
  • Snapdragon
  • Snapdragon
  • Snapdragon
  • Snapdragon
  • Snapdragon
  • Snapdragon
  • Snapdragon
  • Snapdragon
  • Snapdragon
  • Snapdragon
  • Snapdragon
  • Snapdragon
  • Snapdragon
  • Snapdragon
  • Snapdragon
  • Snapdragon
  • Snapdragon
  • Snapdragon
  • Snapdragon
  • Snapdragon
  • Snapdragon
  • Snapdragon
  • Snapdragon
  • Snapdragon
  • Flower name
    Snapdragon
  • Scientific name
    Antirrhium majus
  • Alias金魚草, スナップドラゴン, Snapdragon, アンテリナム
  • Place of originSouthern Europe and North Africa's Mediterranean coast
  • Place of floweringGarden, Cut flowers, flower arrangement, Potted flower
  • Flowering seasonApril, May, June, July, August, September
  • Language of flowersgraciousness

What is Snapdragon

Birth flowers for Jan 16, Jul 2

日本語英語中国語

Snapdragon (scientific name: Antirrhium majus) is a cold-resistant perennial plant (treated as a year-round on gardening) of the family Plantaginaceae native to Southern Europe and North Africa's Mediterranean coast.


SnapdragonSnapdragon

Snapdragon (Scientific name: Antirrhium majus) — Does it resemble the goldfish below?


金魚Goldfish

Goldfish (Carassius auratus) — The photo above is the snapdragon.

Snapdragon (Antirrhium majus) is an annual or perennial plant of the genus Antirrhium in the family Plantaginaceae, native to the Mediterranean coasts from Southern Europe to North Africa.
It is also known by other names such as Snapdragon, Common Snapdragon, "gueule-de-loup" (wolf’s mouth) in French, and Antirrhium.

Its height ranges from 15–30 cm (dwarf types), 50–60 cm (medium types), to 90–150 cm (tall types).
The leaves are lanceolate and grow in opposite pairs.
From spring to early summer, it produces numerous small flowers on flower spikes extending from the tips, which resemble goldfish (Carassius auratus).
There are autumn-sown, spring-sown, and greenhouse-forced varieties, so it is available for a long period.
It is a commonly cultivated flowering plant with various colors including red, purple, yellow, white, orange, pink, and bi-colors—essentially all colors except blue.
Short to medium types are used for flower beds, and tall types are used as cut flowers.

Relationship between Goldfish and Snapdragon

The Japanese name "kingyo-sō" (金魚草; goldfish plant) is said to come from the flower's resemblance to a goldfish, but personally, I don't think it looks very much like one.
Research shows that when the snapdragon was introduced to Japan, its Chinese name was already "金魚草" (jīnyǔcǎo), so the Japanese name may have been adopted from it.
The English name “Snapdragon” means “biting dragon,” likening the flower to a dragon’s mouth.
The French name "gueule-de-loup" (wolf’s mouth) also likens the flower to the mouth of a wolf.
The genus name “Antirrhium” is Latin for “like a nose,” likening the flower to an animal’s nose.
The species name “majus” is Latin and means “blooms in May.”

The flower is edible
Snapdragons are edible flowers, so the flowers can be eaten.

Common name: Snapdragon,
scientific name: Antirrhium majus,
aka: Snapdragon, Common snapdragon,
Origin: Mediterranean coast of southern Europe to North Africa, Life type: Annual grasses / perennials,
plant height: 15 to 30 cm (dwarf species) · 50 to 60 cm (neutral variety)
Flower color: red · peach · white · orange · yellow · multicolored, flowering period (90 to 150 cm (high variety variety), inflorescence type: ear inflorescence, flower head length: 10 to 30 cm, flower diameter: 3 to 6 cm : April to July (Autumn Sowing), August - September (Spring Rolls), Greenhouse Promotion Varieties.

■ Related Pages
Snapdragon (Antirrhium majus)
Feature: Flower Names with “Fish Names”
Edible Flowers (Edibleflower)
Freshwater Fish Encyclopedia (including aquatic arthropods) [Kagiken WEB]
Seafood Encyclopedia [Kagiken WEB]
Birthday Flower of July 2: Snapdragon — Kagiken Flower Encyclopedia, Flower Diary (Tuesday, July 2, 2025)
#BirthdayFlower #July2BirthdayFlower #Snapdragon #AntirrhiumMajus #FlowerMeaning #KagikenFlowerEncyclopedia #STI


  • Order
    Lamiales
  • Family
    Plantaginaceae
  • Genus
    Antirrhinum
  • Species
    A. majus
  • Type of flower
    Left-right symmetrical flower
  • Array of flower
    Spikelet inflorescence
  • Petal shape
    Hedgerow/thallate
  • Leaf type
    lanceolate
  • Edge of the leaf
    Serrated
  • Life typeannual grass
  • Flower colorsRed Pink Purple Orange Yellow Cream White
  • Colors of the leavesGreen
  • Fruit color
  • Height15.0 ~ 150.0 cm
  • Diameter of flower3.0 ~ 6.0 cm

Random flowers