Antirrhinum majus Monaco Orange | Group 3 | Snapdragon | Cut Flower

Monaco Orange F1 is a professional Group 3 snapdragon with an exceptional, deeply pigmented orange colour. Its rich orange flowers show subtle coral and rose undertones, creating a noticeably deeper colour than typical orange or bronze snapdragons.

It produces long, strong stems and uniform, high-quality flower spikes, making it an excellent variety for cutting. Monaco is bred for greenhouse and tunnel production, with professional stem lengths of approximately 81–152 cm.

As a Group 3 snapdragon, Monaco performs best with moderate to longer days, good light and relatively mild temperatures. It is particularly useful for spring plantings and early-summer flowering.

Plant Information

• Scientific name: Antirrhinum majus
• Variety: Monaco Orange F1
• Common name: Snapdragon
• Timing group: Group 3
• Life cycle: Annual
• Hybrid: F1
• Flower colour: Deep orange with coral and rose undertones
• Plant habit: Upright
• Stem length: 81–152 cm under professional protected cultivation
• Light: Sun / partial shade
• Days to maturity: Approximately 105–115 days
• Vase life: 7–10 days
• Best for: Cut flowers, bouquets, greenhouse and tunnel production
• Seed type: Raw seed

The breeder's professional production schedule gives approximately 14–18 weeks for a finished Group 3 crop, although timing varies with temperature, light and growing conditions.

How to Grow from Seed

For the best results, start Monaco Orange indoors and transplant it later. Direct sowing is not recommended.

Sow approximately 8–10 weeks before you plan to plant outside.

Place one seed per cell on the surface of fine, moist seed-starting compost. Snapdragon seeds need light for germination, so cover only very lightly with fine vermiculite or substrate – just enough to keep the seed in place.

Keep the seeds evenly moist but not waterlogged. A temperature of around 18–21°C is suitable during the first stage. The breeder recommends a light covering and approximately 4–5 weeks for young-plant production.

Once the seedlings are established, provide plenty of light and good air circulation.

Planting Out

Plant outside once the young plants are established and conditions are suitable.

For producing one long, high-quality cut-flower stem, plants can be grown relatively close together. Professional greenhouse and tunnel production uses approximately 86–108 plants/m².

Snapdragons prefer fertile, well-drained soil that remains reasonably moist.

Because Monaco can produce very long stems, support netting is recommended. Professional growers normally use at least two levels of support netting to keep the stems straight.

To Pinch or Not to Pinch?

For long, single cut-flower stems, leave the plants unpinched.

If you prefer a bushier plant with several flowering side stems, the growing tip can be pinched when the young plant has around 4–6 leaves. Keep in mind that pinching will delay flowering and the individual stems will generally be shorter.

When to Harvest

Cut the stems when approximately 5–6 florets at the bottom of the flower spike have opened.

After cutting, keep the stems upright, as snapdragon stems can bend if stored horizontally.

Vase life is approximately 7–10 days.

What Does Group 3 Mean?

Snapdragons are divided into flowering groups according to the day length, light and temperature conditions in which they perform best.

Monaco Orange belongs to Group 3, making it particularly suitable for periods with moderate to longer days and good light levels. The breeder recommends Group 3 finishing temperatures of approximately 13–16°C at night and 16–18°C during the day.

This makes Monaco Orange an especially useful variety for spring production leading into early-summer harvests, when many cooler-season snapdragon varieties are beginning to struggle.

Why Grow Monaco Orange?

Monaco Orange stands out for its unusually rich orange colour with coral and rose undertones. Combined with long stems, uniform flower spikes and reliable Group 3 performance, it is an excellent snapdragon for growers looking for a sophisticated orange tone for summer bouquets and cut-flower production.