: Its flowers are typically white, but frequently show delicate tints of lavender or pink when they first open. Fire-Driven Life Cycle
: Research shows that adding "charate" (charred wood) or its extracts significantly improves seed germination.
Unlike common garden snapdragons, this species has adapted specifically to the rugged West Coast landscape. antirrhinum coulterianum
This plant is a specialist in . Its seeds can lie dormant in the soil for years, waiting for the chemical cues of a fire to germinate.
: The plant produces weak, erect stems (up to 1.5 metres tall) that often use twining branchlets to "cling" to surrounding vegetation for support. : Its flowers are typically white, but frequently
: Its blossoms are specifically designed for large bees, like bumblebees, which are strong enough to force open the "lips" of the flower to reach the nectar inside. Discovery and Naming
: It is the only Antirrhinum that forms a circle of leaves at the very base of its stem. This plant is a specialist in
The plant is named after , an Irish botanist and explorer. In the early 1830s, Coulter became one of the first European scientists to explore the Colorado Desert, where he discovered this snapdragon along with other iconic species like the Matilija poppy.