Angelonia - A Favorite for Windowboxes

Angelonia augustifolia 

Angelonia, these pretty little flowers are reminiscent of snap dragons, but more dainty. Their buds are delicate orbs held high above the plant which grows 10 to 18 inches tall. The leaves are long and pointed.

Angelonia is also known as summer snapdragon. Like snapdragons, they have many little flowers on each stalk. They are shades of purple, pink and white with contracting colors at their throats.

Looking closely at the flowers I am reminded of someone laughing loud enough to loose their bottom denture. Maybe I should have kept that thought to myself...

One of the things I love about this plant is that it tolerates the heat, and here in the Los Angeles area, things can really heat up in the summer. Mine are planted in my window boxes which have been known to dry out more often than they should. This does not phase the angelonia, although it does prefer moist, well-drained soil.

They are perennials often treated as annuals. The only pest mine have is spider mites. Oh, those dreaded little critters get on everything. So I try to spray them off with water weekly and give them a spritz with soapy water to keep the mites controlled.

They bloom for a long period, all summer producing their laughing flowers for my enjoyment.