For years, driving past fields of annual sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) destined for oil, "spits" or birdfeed, I've marvelled at their height and ability to "follow the sun." In the past, they were occasionally planted in rural gardens as windbreaks, to provide living bird feed, or simply as a burst of color. But things changed in the 1990s. Suddenly, sunflowers were "in." New hybrids with vibrant colors and a shorter stature, often pollen-less (no mess) took the gardening world by storm. And it hasn't stopped yet. There are a plethora of cultivars!
The common sunflower ranges in height from two to three metres with huge yellow flowers selected for seed production. Newer garden cultivars are shorter, often branched, and in colors from white through yellow, orange, bronze, mahogany, purple and red, including bi-colors and single and double forms. They begin blooming in late summer and continue into fall. The leaves are large, rough and hairy.
Sunflowers grow best in full sun but will do ok in partial shade. Sow directly in soil mid to late May. They tolerate poorer soils but taller cultivars benefit from a moderate application of a well-balanced fertilizer.
You can see sunflowers used as accent plants, screening, in mixed or annual beds, and in fresh or dried arrangements. Dwarf cultivars can even be used in containers. Go for the gold and plant them in masses with drifts of different cultivars. Cheap, quick, and so effective!
The following are a sampling of the 100s of available cultivars.
Dwarf (under 60 centimetres) excellent for containers or an annual border:
Choco Sun (25-30 centimetres) - very compact, well-branched plants ideal for pots, lemon yellow flowers with dark chocolate brown centers.
Junior (60 centimetres) - pollen-free, yellow flowers (10 centimetres)
Miss Sunshine (25-40 centimetres) - mildew resistant; pollen-free, sunny, golden upward-facing blooms (seven to 10 centimetres).
Teddy Bear (60 centimetres) - double, golden blooms with brown centers (15 centimetres).
Munchkin (60 centimetres) - very floriferous, pollen-free, yellow blooms (10-12 centimetres).
Medium height (60 - 120 centimetres):
Firecracker (60-75 centimetres) - pollen free, red and yellow, 10 centimetre blooms.
Sunrich Orange (90 centimetres) - pollen-free, orange flowers 10-15 centimetre in diameter.
Tall (120 - 150 centimetres.), for back of the border:
Pro Cut Bi-color (150 centimetres) - pollen-free yellow and red flowers with a brown center; blooms nine to 12 centimetres wide.
Santa Fe (150 centimetres) - orangey yellow, pollen free, double flowers, 12-15 centimetres wide.
Valentine (150 centimetres) - lateral branching, lemon yellow, 12 centimetre wide flowers.
Moonshadow (120 centimetres) - pollen-free, branching, white flowers with a yellow disc and brown center, nine to 13 centimetre wide flowers.
Florenza (120 centimetres) - rusty center with light yellow tips, 12 centimetre wide flowers.
Ring of Fire (120 centimetres) - branching, tricolor dark red base with golden tips and dark centre, 13-15 centimetre wide flowers.
Apricot Twist (150 centimetres) - pollen free, branching; apricot flowers with a gold disc, nine to 13 centimetre wide flowers.
Soraya (150 centimetres) - golden with large brown center (10-15 centimetre blooms); thick stems and branching.
Giant (180+ centimetres), to impress the children in your life. Height varies with spacing and fertility:
Sunbright Supreme (210 centimetres) - golden yellow with brown centre (10-15 centimetres), pollen free; strong stems and necks.
Ruby (180 centimetres) - ruby red throughout, 15 centimetre wide blooms.
Moulin Rouge (180 centimetres) - pollen-free; dark red disc, 10 centimetre wide blooms.
Mammoth Russian (180 centimetres) - enormous, single yellow blooms (25 cenitimetres wide).
- Sara Williams is the co-author (with Hugh Skinner) of Gardening Naturally: A Chemical-free Handbook for the Prairies. This column is provided courtesy of the Saskatchewan Perennial Society (www.saskperennial.ca; [email protected]).
