Antirrhinum

The Antirrhinum, commonly known as the Snapdragon has been a popular garden plant for many years. The plants are easy to grow as they can thrive in the cold seasons, and do not require much water, being able to germinate and grow in drained soil. Because of their dry preference, they are native to the rocky areas of Europe, United States, and northern Africa.

Antirrhinum derives its name from the Greek “anti”–“like”, “rhis”–“nose”, and “inus”–“of” or “pertaining to.” Therefore, its name translates “like a nose” referring to nose-like flower capsule in its mature state. In its mature state, the flower seems to resemble a dragon with its mouth opening and closing when laterally squeezed. The flower can have a variety of flower colors including lavender, yellow, red, orange, pink, or white a genetic rarity among most of the plant kingdom. Another factor that makes this plant so interesting is that it is able to grow in the most parched conditions, sometimes out of concrete itself, giving the most unnatural habitats a beautiful presence of nature.

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One of the most naturalistic anomalies that the plant possesses is its seed pod after it has wilted away and died. Although the plant was named Snapdragon for its flowering resemblance of dragon’s mouth opening and closing, the seed pod also takes on a form of something rather macabre. The seed pod looks like a skull. It is as if the flower (skin) of the dragon has wilted away exposing its seed pod (skull) of the dragon itself. It is a rather eerie image of how appropriately named this flower is, as its name applies to flower in its mature state and after death as well.

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This phenomenon of nature is truly one of the most interesting and eerie products of the plant kingdom. Alive, it is one of the most beautiful flowers and can thrive in a virtually unlivable environment (as far as plants go), and after death, it takes on a suiting skull shaped seed pod that resembles the very dragon it once lived as. A natural beauty in every essence.

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