Recently, while visiting Jerusalem, I noticed a snapdragon growing out of a brick walkway. It was clearly a volunteer from a windblown seed. Snapdragons are Mediterranean natives with a habitat that stretches from Portugal to Syria. The flowers of wild snapdragons are invariably pink to magenta.

Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) are perennial, although most gardeners grow them as annuals. Each year, you can extend their bloom period by removing wilted flowers and cutting flowering stems for vase arrangement. To keep snapdragons blooming for several years, allow the flower stalks to remain after they finish blooming. Just cut them back to where a set of leaves is growing and they will rebloom again when the heat of summer has passed.

And I should also add that if you must water them, do so from below, since moist snapdragon foliage in warm weather is highly susceptible to rust, a fungus disease also seen on roses that is expressed as orange bumps on leaves and which quickly spreads from one plant to the next. Downy mildew and powdery mildew can also be a problem when leaves, in warm weather, are kept moist for even a short period.

Every gardener has probably experienced planting beautiful snapdragons acquired at a nursery, only to see them wilt soon after. The problem is that hybrid varieties, especially the dwarf types, have shallow roots, and if you water too often, their roots will rot. Of course, it may also be the case that failing snapdragons, when planted in the garden, were root-bound, meaning roots were growing in a circular fashion in their plastic cells and when they were planted, the roots were constricted and could not develop properly. Always pull apart or prune clumping roots of rootbound plants so that they can grow straight.

It is safe to say that everybody likes snapdragons. Children appreciate your making puppets out of them. Pinch the funnel-shaped bottom of a snapdragon flower between thumb and forefinger, let go, pinch again, and voila: It’s the snapping jaws of a snapdragon!

Snapdragon plants can be tall, medium or dwarf-size. They flower best during fall, late winter and early spring in mostly pastel colors such as sulfur yellow, mauve, magenta and pale pink, although ribald red and intoxicating burgundy hues are also encountered. My preferred snapdragons, the Rocket series, are not seen in nurseries. Rockets grow much taller than most, reaching a height of 3 feet. As a bonus, they have a spicy fragrance, and when a bunch of their stems are cut for an indoor flower arrangement, their mellifluous scent will fill up the room. Snapdragons purchased from a florist or at the nursery, unfortunately, are generally not fragrant.

Another notable Mediterranean wildflower that blooms this time of year is florists’ cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum). I have seen it, too, growing opportunistically out of cracks and crevices in Jerusalem walkways. This tuberous perennial can live for decades as long as it is deprived of summer water. It blooms from fall until spring with irresistible silky blossoms in pink, red and lavender, the perfect antidote to slate-gray winter skies. There are miniature, hybrid cyclamen varieties available too, with flowers and leaves shrunk to about half the size of the familiar type. Cyclamen foliage is heart-shaped and always meticulously patterned.

Remember — in the manner of most fall-planted bulbs, rhizomes, tubers and corms — keeping cyclamen’s soil dry in warm weather is the only way to guarantee its longevity. If you are concerned that the tubers may be watered due to proximity to other plants, remove them after flowers and foliage have disappeared and store them in a cool garage or shed in a paper bag. Once summer is over, plant them out in the garden.

Cyclamen cold tolerance is noteworthy. Although top growth may be killed in a severe frost, tubers ensure survival and more flowers in the future. It should be noted that there is a seldom-seen, extremely tough cyclamen species (Cyclamen hederifolium) that is suitable not only for dry shade and every type of soil, but for the coldest winters you can imagine, including those in North Dakota; it grows with ease and makes a fine ground cover that creeps along speedily enough at a height of 4 inches. In the manner of the familiar cyclamen planted for winter color, hardy cyclamen’s soil must be kept dry during its summer dormancy period to protect its tubers from rotting. However, in the case of hardy cyclamen, if you can keep it alive you will be rewarded with new plants sprouting from seeds that it self-sows. It is widely available through Internet vendors, especially those who specialize in bulbs.

Cyclamen’s one absolute requirement is excellent soil drainage. If drainage is even slightly impaired, tubers may rot. One other point: Don’t fertilize cyclamen much, if at all, or you will get lots of leafy growth at the expense of flower bud development.

When it comes to propagation, snapdragon’s tiny seed is pressed gently into the soil but left uncovered, since it requires light to germinate. With cyclamen, its large seeds must be buried below the soil surface since they only germinate in the dark. You can also propagate snapdragons from stem cuttings.

Last but not least, the Yeroham iris (Iris yeruchamensis), which is endemic to the Negev Desert, is just about to bloom. In late winter or early spring, if you find yourself hiking in Israel in the northern Negev, you are likely to encounter a fair share of Yeroham irises. These are dwarf bearded irises, seldom more than a foot tall, whose vivid colors range from bronze and burgundy to purple and black. I have not found a source for the seeds or bulbs, but if anyone knows where they can be found, please advise. Keep in mind that bearded irises, whose flowers are as opulent as orchids, are probably the easiest bulb plants to cultivate in our part of the world. They are available in a plethora of colors and need a bare minimum of water to grow. Unlike most other bulb types, there are select remontant, or repeat-blooming, bearded irises as well. Note: Bearded irises actually grow from rhizomes, which are thickened, starch-storing, semi-underground stems.

Do you have a snapdragon, cyclamen or iris tale to tell? If so, please send it along to joshua@perfectplants.com. Your questions and comments, as well as gardening conundrums and successes, are always welcome.