Hybrid

Chantilly™ White

Antirrhinum majus

Photo: Vanitaiitd · Wikimedia Commons · (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Harvest

100-110d

Days to harvest

📅

Sun

Full sun to partial shade

☀️

Zones

7–10

USDA hardiness

🗺️

Height

0-3 feet

📏

Planting Timeline

Zone:

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Start Indoors

Transplant

Direct Sow

Start Indoors

Transplant

Direct Sow

Showing dates for Chantilly™ White in USDA Zone 7

All Zone 7 flower →

Zone Map

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Chantilly™ White · Zones 7–10

What grows well in Zone 7? →

Growing Details

Difficulty

Easy

SeasonWarm season annual

FlavorFloral and slightly bitter flavor, best used sparingly as a garnish.

ColorBright white

Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar

Zone	Indoor Start	Transplant	Direct Sow	Harvest
Zone 1	May – June	July – August	July – September	—
Zone 2	April – May	June – July	June – August	—
Zone 11	January – January	January – February	January – March	—
Zone 12	January – January	January – February	January – March	—
Zone 13	January – January	January – February	January – March	—
Zone 3	April – May	June – July	June – August	—
Zone 4	March – April	June – June	June – July	—
Zone 5	March – April	May – June	May – July	—
Zone 6	March – April	May – June	May – July	—
Zone 7	February – March	April – May	April – June	—
Zone 8	February – March	April – May	April – June	—
Zone 9	January – February	March – April	March – May	—
Zone 10	January – January	February – March	February – April	—

Succession Planting

Start seeds indoors 10–12 weeks before your last frost — that puts you at February to early March in zone 7. Transplant out in April to May once nights stay reliably above 40°F. A second sowing in late June or early July can give you a fall flush in zones 7–10, since Chantilly White recovers well once summer heat breaks in September. Don't sow after mid-July; there aren't enough cool days left to get 100–110 days of productive bloom before frost shuts things down.

If you're cutting for arrangements, staggering transplants every 3–4 weeks from your first planting date through early June keeps a steady supply coming rather than one compressed glut. Just don't expect much from any planting during peak July–August heat — the plants pause and wait it out, and so should you.

Complete Growing Guide

Group 1-2: Performs best under short days and low temperatures. Because Chantilly snapdragons are bred for short-day production, long-day growing conditions produce stems that are thin and weak. We do not recommend this variety for long-day production. Suitable for greenhouse or in the field. Bloom color is bright white. Edible Flowers: The flowers are a colorful garnish for use in salads, desserts, and drinks. The flavor is floral and slightly bitter, so use sparingly. According to Johnny's Selected Seeds, Chantilly™ White is 100 - 110 days to maturity, annual, hybrid (f1). Notable features: Greenhouse Performer, Use for Cut Flowers and Bouquets, Edible Flowers, Fragrant.

Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day), Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours). Soil: High Organic Matter. Drainage: Good Drainage. Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 0 ft. 6 in. - 0 ft. 10 in.. Spacing: Less than 12 inches. Growth rate: Medium. Maintenance: Medium.

Harvesting

Chantilly™ White reaches harvest at 100 - 110 days from sowing per Johnny's Selected Seeds. As an annual, harvest continues until frost ends the season.

A capsule, half hidden by calyx lobes, short-beaked.

Type: Capsule. Length: 1-3 inches.

Storage & Preservation

Fresh cut flowers should be kept in clean, cool water at 40-45°F (4-7°C) immediately after harvest to extend vase life. Remove lower leaves to prevent bacterial growth. For short-term storage, keep stems in water at room temperature away from direct sunlight and ripening fruit. Vase life is typically 7-10 days. To preserve longer, air-dry cut stems upside-down in a dark, well-ventilated location for dried arrangements. Alternatively, press flowers between absorbent paper for 1-2 weeks to preserve them for crafts or floral designs. Glycerin preservation can also maintain flexibility and color.

History & Origin

Chantilly™ White is an F1 hybrid developed through controlled cross-pollination. Listed in the Johnny's Selected Seeds catalog.

Origin: Southwestern Europe

Advantages

+Bright white blooms provide clean, elegant aesthetic for floral arrangements
+Edible flowers offer unique garnish option for culinary presentations
+Short growing cycle of 100-110 days enables quick production turnover
+Easy difficulty level makes variety suitable for beginner growers
+Performs reliably in both greenhouse and field production settings

Considerations

-Requires short-day conditions; long-day production yields thin, weak stems
-Not recommended for long-day growing regions or summer production
-Floral flavor is slightly bitter, limiting edible flower appeal

Companion Plants

Marigolds (Tagetes patula specifically) and catnip both pull weight near snapdragons — marigolds push out root exudates that repel aphids and whiteflies, while catnip disorients a range of soft-bodied insects before they ever settle in. Sweet alyssum and lobelia fill the base of the planting without competing hard for root space, and their small open flowers draw parasitic wasps that keep pest pressure in check without any effort on your part.

Black walnut is the companion to keep well away — but the reason isn't vague toxicity. The tree produces juglone, a compound that blocks cellular respiration in susceptible plants, and the effect shows up as wilting and slow decline that's easy to misread as drought stress. Fennel causes similar (if less severe) problems through allelopathic root secretions; most ornamentals planted within 2 feet of it struggle to size up. Eucalyptus works the same way. None of these are worth experimenting with.

Plant Together

Marigolds

Repel aphids, whiteflies, and other pests while attracting beneficial insects

Sweet Alyssum

Attracts beneficial insects and provides ground cover protection

Nasturtiums

Act as trap crops for aphids and flea beetles, drawing pests away

Lobelia

Complements white flowers aesthetically and attracts pollinators

Ageratum

Repels mosquitoes and other flying pests while providing color contrast

Catnip

Natural insect repellent that deters ants, aphids, and mosquitoes

Petunias

Repel aphids, tomato hornworms, and other garden pests

Cosmos

Attract beneficial predatory insects and provide structural support

Keep Apart

Black Walnut

Produces juglone toxin that inhibits growth of most flowering plants

Eucalyptus

Releases allelopathic compounds that suppress nearby plant growth

Fennel

Inhibits growth of most garden plants through allelopathic root secretions

Troubleshooting Chantilly™ White

What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.

Gray fuzzy coating on stems or flower buds, often after a stretch of cool, damp weather

Likely Causes

Botrytis cinerea (gray mold) — thrives in humid, stagnant air and dead or dying tissue
Spent blooms left on the plant, which give Botrytis an entry point

What to Do

1.Deadhead aggressively — remove faded flowers before petals drop and decompose on the foliage
2.Thin crowded stems to open up airflow; 12–18 inches between plants is the minimum, not a suggestion
3.Avoid overhead watering in the evening; drip irrigation or morning hand-watering keeps foliage dry overnight

Orange, rust-colored pustules on the undersides of leaves, with corresponding yellow patches on top

Likely Causes

Antirrhinum rust (Puccinia antirrhini) — a snapdragon-specific fungal rust that spreads fast in cool, moist conditions
Planting too close together, or in a spot with poor morning sun that keeps leaves wet

What to Do

1.Pull and bag infected leaves immediately — don't compost them
2.Apply a copper-based fungicide or sulfur spray on a 7-day schedule once rust appears; label rates apply
3.Rotate snapdragons out of any bed where rust showed up for at least one full season

Flower spikes stop producing new blooms by midsummer, plants look leggy and exhausted

Likely Causes

Heat shutdown — Antirrhinum majus naturally stalls when daytime highs push consistently above 85–90°F
No cutback after the first flush, so the plant puts energy into setting seed rather than new laterals

What to Do

1.Cut spent spikes back by about one-third as soon as the bottom two-thirds of flowers have opened and dropped
2.In zones 7–8, plants often bounce back in September once temperatures drop below 80°F — don't pull them yet
3.Keep soil consistently moist through the heat; drought stress accelerates the shutdown

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do Chantilly White flowers last in a vase?▼

Chantilly White snapdragons typically last 7-10 days in a vase with proper care. To maximize vase life, harvest stems in early morning, cut stems at a 45-degree angle, remove lower foliage, and change water every 2-3 days. Keep them in a cool location away from direct sunlight and ethylene-producing fruits for best results.

Can you grow Chantilly White snapdragons in containers?▼

Yes, Chantilly White snapdragons grow well in containers, making them ideal for patios and small gardens. Use well-drained potting soil and provide full sun to partial shade with 4-6+ hours of light daily. Container growing is ideal for managing the short-day conditions these plants prefer, as you can move pots to shaded areas during long-day seasons.

Is Chantilly White a good choice for beginner gardeners?▼

Yes, Chantilly White snapdragons are rated as easy to grow, making them suitable for beginners. They have straightforward growing requirements and relatively fast time to harvest at 100-110 days. The main consideration is ensuring short-day conditions; long-day growing produces weak, thin stems, so timing your planting for cooler seasons is important.

What does Chantilly White snapdragon taste like as an edible flower?▼

The flowers have a floral and slightly bitter taste, making them a colorful garnish for salads, desserts, and drinks. However, use them sparingly due to the bitter flavor profile. The edible quality is more about visual appeal than flavor contribution, so they work best as an accent rather than a primary ingredient.

Why are Chantilly White snapdragons not recommended for long-day production?▼

Chantilly White snapdragons are specifically bred for short-day production. When exposed to long-day growing conditions, they produce stems that become thin and weak, resulting in poor-quality flowers. To get the best blooms, grow them during shorter photoperiod seasons or use shade to simulate short-day conditions.

When should I plant Chantilly White snapdragons?▼

For optimal short-day conditions, plant Chantilly White snapdragons in late summer or early fall for spring bloom, or in winter for spring harvests. Avoid long-day seasons (spring-summer) unless you can provide artificial shading. In cool climates, greenhouse production is recommended to control day length and temperature conditions.