Gambelia

( gam - BEE - lee - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

Plants in this genus are  commonly called Island Snapdragon, requiring full sun exposure and little water to thrive. They are typically evergreen in their native range. Branches can be pinched to form a more bushy growth habit. Flowers are scarlet and tubular, appearing in mid-spring. Use Gambelia shrubs as accents, in mixed beds, or grow them in pots. These shrubs are also wonderful in wildlife gardens, and will attract hummingbirds to the landscape.

gambelia Species and Varietals

The small genus Gambelia was previously classified as Galvezia, and includes three species. It is in the Plantain family (Plantaginaceae). Gambelia speciosa is considered to be an endangered species, and is listed as such on the California Native Plant Society's Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants of California. Gambelia speciosa grows best in zones 14-24. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Gambelia juncea (Baja California Bush Snapdragon, Baja Bush Snapdragon)
These plants have a highly variable habit, though they tend to be woody at their bases. They typically reach a bit over 3 feet tall when mature, and have small, thin green foliage. Flowers are tubular and bright red with two outer lips. It can form an erect or spreading shrub.

Gambelia speciosa (Galvezia speciosa) (Showy Island Snapdragon, Showy Greenbright)
​This species forms an evergreen sub-shrub native to San Clemente, Catalina, and Guadalupe Islands near Southern California and Mexico. This species has a spreading, open growth that gets 3-4 feet tall and 5-7 feet wide, with stems that climb out to 15 feet. Cultivar 'Firecracker' (pictured) reaches just 2-3 feet tall and 3 feet wide, with bright red flowers.

Caring for and pruning Gambelia shrubs

Grow Showy Island Snapdragon ​in full sun to partial shade exposure and provide with afternoon shade in warmer climates. Provide with regular waterings as these plants are getting established in the garden; once mature, these shrubs are drought tolerant and will not need much supplemental water, except for during the summer months. These shrubs are hardy down to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant in well-draining soil that is not overly rich, and prune occasionally to remove dead or damaged branches. Gambelia speciosa does not need to be fertilized.

Propagation

​Gambelia speciosa can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your shrub, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Gambelia by Cutting
  1. Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
  2. In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
  3. Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots. 
  4. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.

Propagating Gambelia by Seed
  1. Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows. 
  2. Harvest your seeds. The seed pods on Island Snapdragon plants are pretty easy to spot, they're left behind after the flowers have faded, and will begin to open. They look very similar to Snapdragon (Antirrhinum) seeds; they are small and black and there are many per seed pod.
  3. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes between 10-21 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
  4. Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home

Problems and Pests

Although Showy Island Snapdragon shrubs are generally pest-free, they can suffer from occasional issues with:
  • Aphids
For information about treatment and prevention of this issue, see the following links:
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Gallery

These subshrubs are great along pathways alongside other shrubs.
The bright red flowers will attract hummingbirds to your garden.
Plant Island Snapdragon amongst other low water-use plants.

Videos

How to use Island Snapdragon in your landscape.
All about Island Snapdragon.

Resources

Island Snapdragon
Galvezia (Gambelia speciosa 'Firecracker')
Island Snapdragon, Gambelia speciosa
Wikipedia: Gambelia speciosa
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 332, Galvezia speciosa
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or photos you’d like to add to the gallery, please let me know by sending me a message using the button below!
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