Snapdragon 'Apollo Ivory'
Trial: Annual
Years Trialed: 1998
Good Qualities:
Seed germination good - excellent & quick (3); Excellent color (3); Unusual snapdragon flower form (2); Easy to grow (2); Long stems; Many cuts per plant; Early bloomer; Earlier than 'Spring Giant'; Uniform for production; Stem length better than the 'Rocket' series; Nice stems; Kept producing flowers until frost
Problems:
Florets are few and/or are too far apart on stems (4); Don't like the Aopen@ form of the flowers (2); Not as vigorous and strong as 'Rockets' which were planted in same bed (2); Customers do not recognize them as snaps; Color looks dirty; Falls apart easily; Stems not as thick as I would have liked; Not a good producer in this color - color itself seemed somewhat weak; Short season - didn't last as long as 'Rocket'; Should have support; Low germination (48%).
Trial Data
| Yield (stems/plant) | Stem Length (inches) | Market Appreciation Rating (1) | Repeat Again Rating (1) | Ease of Cultivation Rating (1) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 7.0 | 17.4 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 4.5 |
(1) 1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best. Market ratings are based on sales to wholesalers, retailers, or final consumers direct.
Supplier
PanAmerican Seed
P.O. Box 438
West Chicago, IL 60186
Comments:
I liked the 'Animation' series better; Not the usual snapdragon type of floret but usable. Will try again with an April planting; The florists I sell to either really liked this open snap or they didn't like it at all. This was the only thing that made it questionable to grow again; Would probably make for a good early snapdragon; Cold wind damage occurred during hardening off process before planting in field (purple leaves); Important to pinch terminal bud early; I am not growing snaps after this year. Too short to compete with greenhouse and too low a price to florists ($3.50/bu); I used them a lot in bouquets, but my customers passed them by when they made theirs.