More Angelonia

It seems I just can’t stop talking about Angelonia for our landscapes today on Southern Gardening.

Archangel Purple Angelonia features some of the largest individual Angelonia flowers displayed on beautiful spikes rising above the foliage from late spring to late summer. Like its relative the snapdragon Archangel Angelonia flower spikes are big enough for cutting and enjoyed indoors. Another variety of Angelonia that is certainly worthy of a place in our Mississippi gardens are the Angel Mists. This series is compact and low growing with colors of white, pink, and purple. Best of all these plants are very free flowering making them exceptional choices for containers or hanging baskets and letting the stems sprawl and scramble over the container edge. Once established Angelonia is drought and heat tolerant. These are great attributes for the hot summer conditions in Mississippi landscapes. But remember during extended droughty periods to apply supplemental irrigation. The effort will help to ensure a healthy plant that continues to produce gorgeous flowering. Angelonia will thrive when planted in the full sun in fertile, well-drained landscape beds. The addition of two to three inches of good quality mulch will improve even the most compacted clay soil as Angelonia will not be a good garden plant if the soil is poor, compacted with little air space. Maintaining a consistent supply of fertilizer is required for the optimum performance and flowering. Fertilize with a complete controlled release garden fertilizer at planting. Supplemental water soluble fertilizer applied monthly will keep your Angelonia going strong. I’m horticulturist Gary Bachman for Southern Gardening.