Zone: 7 to 9

Soil: sand to clay

Light: Sun to part sun

Bloom colour: Red, yellow, to purple

Bloom period: early summer till frost.

Height: 6 inches to 3 feet

Moisture: Dry to medium

Attracts: Bees and the odd hummingbird.

Notes: Snapdragons are great plants for xeriscaping as they prefer the soil to completely dry out between waterings. They continue to flower until the first frost and are a source of nectar for bees and hummingbirds later on in the season. The flowers are large and bees have to force their way in until they completely disappear inside. For hummingbirds, it is best to stick to red, pink and purple varieties of this plant.

These plants may survive a Toronto winter in a sheltered microclimate, but in any case, they reseed themselves. Plants are sold according to height. Those less than one foot in height are only useful for the very front of a small border while the largest ones tend to be too big and fall over.

If your reason for planting is just to attract wildlife then consider planting other annuals that get more attention from the local critters.