Extra Tall Angelonias

Angelonia ‘Angelface Super White’ rises 30–36 inches above the ground

We’ve added two extra tall Angelonias to our program for next spring. While the standard varieties might grow about 18 inches, Angelonia ‘Angelface Super Blue’ and ‘Angelface Super White’ both rise about 30 to 36 inches above the ground. For context, this is the same height we expect from Cleome ‘Senorita Blanca’ or Coleus ‘Wasabi’: waist-high.

These two cultivars not only grow higher but also have thicker stems and a generally bushier habit. Each plant is good for filling a vertical space with a sense of generous color. As a result, we can move that popular Snapdragon look into places where we don’t normally see Angelonia.

‘Angelface Super Blue’ fills a vertical space with color

AT THE BACK OR CENTER OF THE BED

Their sheer size is the first advantage of Angelface Supers—a planting is best put to the back of the landscaping bed. We find that a thickly-massed stand looks impressive so we like to plant the pots a little tighter than we normally would, about 14 inches from the center. This allows the tall Angelface plants to cross their arms and knit together as a single display.

Knitting in this manner also gives the display structural integrity, important if you use these plants in the center of a free standing bed, as the centerpiece of a circular garden, or for building a showpiece to walk around and admire. Stems of Angelface Supers are thicker and stiffer to support the larger individual flowers on each spire.

Thick, stiff stems support the large individual flowers on each spire

IN THE CUT FLOWER GARDEN

In fact, you can take these Super stems seriously for a cut flower garden. Their long-lasting season means plenty of weeks with flowers, plus they provide tall blues and whites in those summer months when choices can be thin. Angelface Supers add strong vertical color at about the same time that springtime favorites pause for the summer.

Visually, these blooms have a vase presence reminiscent of Delphinium spires but with the snappy look of Snapdragons. Individual flowers of the Super series are much bigger than those of standard Angelonia, and their vase life is better than Delphinium. As a result, they deliver drama in large arrangements similar to the ones you might see alongside the podium at a commencement, in the center of a patio garden party, or anchoring a table at a wedding or real estate opening.

‘Angelface Super White’ pairs nicely with standard Angelonias

MIX WITH STANDARD ANGELONIAS

Angelface Supers come in two colors: Blue and White. They pair up well with their standard Angelonia brethren, as well as with the much shorter angled varieties. This means you can take the same Angelonia colors and textures and play with them at three distinct levels: super, standard, and spreading. This is an unusual capability.

An example would be a three-stripe/two-tone garden using Angelface ‘Super Blue’ high in the back, a straight standard white in the center, and a blue spreading Angelonia along the front.

‘Angelface Super Blue’ can be used in larger urns and planters

MATCHING WITH THE COMBOS

Standard Angelonias are used in a variety of smaller containers and now we can deploy the same look into larger urns and planters.  All we need to do is follow the very same design techniques we use to make Angelface Super Angelonia an anchor or focal point in larger landscape beds. This user-friendly quality makes the series a valuable tool for garden professionals who handle a wide range of projects.

Since they are so tall, Angelface Supers fill the thriller role in garden designs. White and silver components like Helichrysum ‘Icicles’ and Euphorbia ‘Diamond Frost’ are good companions. Floral accents to use include Petunias, Calibrachoa, and Verbena that tend to mound up and then spill over the edges. Even low Coleus would work.

‘Angelface Super White’ is still an Angelonia—it’s just bigger

CULTURE AND CARE

Best of all, the Angelface Super is an Angelonia, just bigger. This is the same Angelonia that thrives on summer heat—the hotter it gets, the more flowers the plant produces. That single fact makes Angelonia a favorite summer planting for landscapers in the Cincinnati area because its performance is so reliable—important for contracts that call for quick replacements if the color fails.

Angelonia’s easy-care mantra is the same for both containers and garden beds. This is a sun plant, so be sure to pour on the sunshine and keep the shade to less than six hours. More sun means bigger and thicker blossoms on the stems. Water should be regular and reasonable. Super Angelonia can handle some wet and some dry so it’s not fussy, but it’s also not a Cactus or Lantana.

Well-prepared garden soil, or a regular feeding schedule, definitely helps pump up the mid-season and late-season display of flowers.

‘Angelface Super Blue’ has a trait that might surprise you

AN ENTERTAINING TIP

For folks who work with kids, here is a fun little tip to keep them engaged: Angelonia Supers have a faint grape soda smell when you get your nose close to the flower.