Botanical atlas

Snapdragon

Antirrhinum majus

Snapdragon has always been more a flower of folklore and the garden bed than of the medicine chest. In medieval Europe, its odd seed pods, which dry into tiny papery skulls, gave rise to a belief that the plant could ward off curses, hexes, and the evil eye, and sprigs were sometimes tucked into pockets or hung over doorways for protection. Country gardeners also prized it simply for its cheerful, snapping blooms, which children have delighted in pinching open like a dragon's mouth for generations. Its flowers have occasionally been used as a decorative, edible garnish on salads and desserts, valued for their color rather than any established herbal effect.

In tradition.

Snapdragon has always been more a flower of folklore and the garden bed than of the medicine chest. In medieval Europe, its odd seed pods, which dry into tiny papery skulls, gave rise to a belief that the plant could ward off curses, hexes, and the evil eye, and sprigs were sometimes tucked into pockets or hung over doorways for protection. Country gardeners also prized it simply for its cheerful, snapping blooms, which children have delighted in pinching open like a dragon's mouth for generations. Its flowers have occasionally been used as a decorative, edible garnish on salads and desserts, valued for their color rather than any established herbal effect.

Safety.

Snapdragon flowers are generally non-toxic and are sometimes used as a decorative, edible garnish, though they have no established use as an internal remedy.