Serena Purple, also known as Angelonia angustifolia and Summer Snapdragon, is an annual flowering plant native to Mexico and the West Indies. Angelonia offers an upright, mounded habit of 16-20" tall and 12-14" wide, with purple flowers from spring to late summer. PanAmerican developed this cultivar for superior heat tolerance, low maintenance, and exceptional durability. Fragrant foliage and bright flowers attract pollinators and look lovely in bouquets, containers, and landscape borders. Flourishing in full sun with little more than regular water, this plant is an obvious addition to the summer garden. For a shorter variety, try Serenita Purple.
Serena Purple Selling Tips
Sell Serena Purple to customers looking for a low-maintenance, long-blooming annual for a container or border. This plant offers many benefits, including exceptional performance in heat and humidity, a mounded habit, and resistance to deer and rabbits. Angelonia attracts butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds with fragrant foliage and bright flowers. Enjoy blooms from spring until fall as this plant flourishes in a sunny landscape, container, or combination basket. Serena Purple also excels in bouquets. Create stunning displays of color by growing this plant in landscape beds or mixed containers with a combination of Calibrachoa, Dusty Miller, Geranium, Nasturtium, Sage, Lobelia, Petunia, or Ipomoea.
Coach Your Customer
1. Space plants 8-10" apart in well-drained soil in full sun.
2. Water once a week or more often in drought.
3. Remove plants after frost or in the spring. Technically Angelonia is a perennial in zone 10-11, but it grows best as an annual in all zones.
General Growing Tips For Your Seedling Tray
For best results with Serena Purple, plant one rooted plug per 1801 cell or 4-inch container. Use well-drained soil with a pH of 5.8-6.2, EC of 1.5-2.0 mS/cm, temperatures of 65-76 daytime and 65-67 nighttime, and medium feed (175-225 ppm N). This plant is day-neutral and grows best in cool conditions. Don't pinch, as pinching can cause an uneven habit and delay flowering. Apply a mix of daminozide and chlormequat or a paclobutrazol drench two weeks after transplanting. Watch for aphids and powdery mildew.
Flowering
Purple flowers bloom from spring through summer.
Pinching
Don't pinch this plant. Pinching can cause an uneven habit and delay flowering.
Spacing
Grow Angelonia pot tight in 1801s or 4-inch containers. Space them as they reach their final size to keep foliage from touching.
Height Control
Apply PGRs two weeks after transplant. Use a mix of daminozide and chlormequat at 2,500/750 tank mix or 2,500/1,000 spray or apply a paclobutrazol drench at 5-10 ppm in warm climates.
Pests
You may see aphids.
Disease
Serena Purple isn't prone to disease, but powdery mildew can develop. Take preventative measures in your greenhouse. Always use new media for planting and practice sanitary disposal of any infected plants. Water at the base of each plant in the morning and allow the soil to dry between waterings. Provide good airflow in your greenhouse and be sure sunlight and air can reach the soil level of each plant.
Planting Serena Purple Liners
We recommend planting one rooted liner per 1801 cell or 4-inch container. Use well-drained soil and completely bury the ellepot centered in the container.
Rooted Cuttings
Cuttings vary in size between different plant families. These rooted starter plants will arrive ready to be transplanted in to your final container. If they are to be used in a landscape application, you will need to establish them in a 4 inch pot or an 1801 before planting outside.
Angelonia Serena Purple Quick Reference Guide
| 4 Inch crop time | 9-10 Weeks |
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| Bloom Period | Spring, Summer |
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| Color | Purple |
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| Habit | Mounding, Upright |
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| Height | 16-20 inches |
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| Light | Full Sun |
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| Minimum Temp | 65 |
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| Water Needs | Moderate |
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| Patented Plant | Yes |
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