Angelonia angustifolia Serena Mixture is a tropical perennial native to Mexico and the West Indies that thrives across hardiness zones 9-11 and brings reliable, cheerful color to gardens all summer long. Commonly called summer snapdragon for its small, snapdragon-like flowers in shades of bluish-purple, this upright, bushy plant grows 12-18 inches tall and blooms prolifically from late spring through early fall. While hardy as a perennial in warm climates, most gardeners grow it as an annual bedding or container plant, starting seeds indoors about 10-12 weeks before the last spring frost. It handles heat, humidity, and drought with impressive grace, making it one of the most low-maintenance warm-season bloomers you can plant.
Full Sun
Moderate
9-11
18in H x 18in W
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High
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Angelonia's narrow, aromatic foliage clad the stems, adding textural interest even when flowers aren't the focus. The flowers themselves are small, each just three-quarters of an inch across, but they bloom so abundantly that plants look dressed in color from midsummer onward. This variety tolerates summer heat and humidity that would wilt other annuals, and it actually thrives in containers where it may struggle to overwinter indoors but grows effortlessly as a seasonal plant. The Serena series specifically produces seed-grown plants that are straightforward to start from seed, giving home gardeners genuine control over the color mix from the beginning.
Angelonia shines in bedding displays and container gardens, particularly in hot, sunny spots where other annuals flag. Its upright habit makes it useful as a tall filler in mixed containers, and its trailing tendency in some growing conditions allows it to soften the edges of pots and window boxes. Gardeners in warm climates can maintain it as a long-lived perennial border plant, while those in cooler zones rely on it for reliable summer color in annual beds and mixed plantings.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Sow angelonia seeds indoors 10-12 weeks before your last spring frost date. Keep the soil moist and warm, and plan for transplanting seedlings into individual pots as soon as they develop true leaves. This timing allows plants to reach flowering size by the time you move them outdoors after the danger of frost has passed.
Transplant angelonia outdoors after the last spring frost, when soil has warmed and night temperatures remain above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Space plants 9-18 inches apart, depending on whether you want a tighter display or more mature spread. Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7-10 days before planting in the garden.
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“Angelonia angustifolia hails from Mexico and the West Indies, where it evolved as a sun-loving tropical perennial. The Serena series represents a deliberate breeding effort to create seed-grown plants suitable for home gardeners. Unlike many ornamental annuals that require vegetative propagation, Serena-series angelonias can be started reliably from seed, democratizing access to this heat-loving flower and allowing gardeners in temperate zones to enjoy tropical color without purchasing transplants each spring.”