Sunflowers: Relive your Childhood with these Whimsical Garden Giants

Sunflowers have long been favorites in American gardens. Symbols of honesty, loyalty, audacity, and best of all exuberance, sunflowers undoubtedly reflect the simple things in life. Their sparkling golden rays that emanate from dark chocolate and sometimes tawny cores, mirror the summer sun and almost instantly beckon onlookers to recall their innocent childhood pasts. Sunflowers to me stand for spearmint sno-cones, root beer floats, and Neapolitan ice cream (served fresh from the ice cream man, of course). They are endless games of Marco Polo in neighborhood swimming pools and Alex Box hotdogs on Sunday afternoons. Sunflowers are secrets shared between two best friends, backyard campouts in the middle of June, and lightening bugs smoldering within hole-punched Mason jars. Lastly, they are Fourth of July barbeques and successions of fireworks blasted on New Year’s Eve. Sunflowers in short, offer a glimpse into our youths, while giving us flickers of hope.

When Ron and I first sketched our spring and summer garden, we dedicated an entire bed to sunflowers. Having successfully grown containers of dwarf sunflowers on our apartment balcony in years past, we couldn’t wait to plant rows of mammoths and rust-colored varieties for both ourselves and for our neighbors to enjoy. Now, 90 days after sowing our first seeds, we have a flowering wall of 12 foot tall sunflowers, gleaming with brilliant yellow smiles and coppery red faces.

Sunflowers (Helianthus annus) are without a doubt some of the easiest flowers to grow. As their botanical name suggests, these North American natives thrive in full sun and well drained soil. Often naturalizing prairies and open fields or pastures, wild sunflowers can be found growing as far north as Central Canada, through much of North America, and into Northern Mexico. Most of these cheerful yellow beauties grow eight to 15 feet tall, sporting coarse, oval-shaped leaves and thick emerald stalks. Colossal heads, spanning almost 12 inches across, sit majestically atop these oversized stems, as rich golden rays burst vivaciously from their brownish mauve centers. With sunflower cultivation steadily on the rise, you can now grow a mix of your favorite varieties, from the three foot tall ‘Sunspot,’ and six foot white, bicolor, burgundy, and orange cultivars, to the strapping 15 foot skyscrapers that dominate beds with their magnificent lemony yellow blossoms.

Sowing Your Seeds:

Though sunflowers are a popular summer favorite, it can be hard to find transplants in local garden centers; the best alternative (and most rewarding) is starting them from seeds. Many home gardeners wince at the idea of growing seeds, fearing that either these tiny morsels of life will not germinate, or that by the time they do, the growing season will be nearly over. Sunflowers however, are fast growing annuals – seeds sprout within 10 to 12 days when soil temperatures are warm – and boast a success rate of almost 100 percent as far as germinating, one reason these golden goddesses are favorites for children’s gardens.

Sunflower seeds can be directly sown into the garden, but first timers might find it best to start them in four inch pots. Keep in mind that if you use organic containers like peat pots, as opposed to plastic, you can ultimately stick the pots in the ground as well. Not only does this method save plastic, but it also keeps you from disturbing the root system of your newly developing sunflowers. Since sunflower seeds are fairly sizeable and a sure bet for sprouting, simply stick one seed in the centers of the pots, just beneath the soil surface; sowing multiple seeds in single containers will result in you “thinning out” the crop later. Once the seeds have germinated, plant sunflowers in full sunlight in your garden, spacing them one to two feet apart. For strong, healthy stalks, give them a complete slow-release fertilizer and plentiful water. As your sunflowers mature, support them with bamboo stakes so as to protect against excessive wind damage.

Striking Sunflowers:

Although there is a seemingly endless assortment of sunflowers today, a few cultivars certainly worth trying are ‘Soraya,’ ‘Sunspot,’ ‘Evening Sun,’ ‘Mammoth,’ ‘Honey Bear,’ and ‘Jade Hybrid.’ ‘Soraya,’ the first sunflower named an All-America winner, stands five to six feet tall and casts golden orange rays from six-inch centers of decadent dark chocolate. Different from traditional sunflowers, ‘Soraya’ is a multi-branching cultivar, producing side stems and blossoms over an extended period, so as to prolong the sunflower season. Perfect for planting along fences or brick walls, ‘Soraya’ looks sensational when integrated with ‘Vanilla Ice,’ ‘Strawberry Blonde,’ and ‘Sunspot’ sunflowers.

‘Sunspot’ sunflowers, like ‘Soraya,’ can easily enliven any landscape with their uplifting golden smiles. ‘Sunspot’ however, reaches only two to three feet tall, boldly holding its own with stout, single stem trunks. Expansive 12 inch heads nod jovially, as shimmering lemony yellow petals gush from russet golden faces. Not only are ‘Sunspot’ sunflowers packed with crunchy seeds for cardinals, finches, or for roasting, but children love their gigantic flowers – the plants stand at the same height as most toddlers, but their immense flower heads resemble something from make-believe. Create a fascinating display by integrating ‘Sunspot’ amid container gardens, kitchen gardens, or in sunflower borders with ‘Evening Sun,’ ‘Honey Bear,’ and ‘Mammoth.’

‘Evening Sun’ adds a rustic twist to conventional sunflower collections. Reaching six feet tall with their multi-branching habits, these endearing sunflowers make excellent cut flowers and natural screens, as well as offering enticing seeds to visiting cardinals. ‘Evening Sun’ blooms a profusion of burnt orange, mahogany, and copper red blossoms over an extended season, each flower spreading almost eight inches across with their dark ebony eyes and velvet petals. Plant these tawny favorites with ‘Jade Hybrid,’ ‘Sunspot,’ and ‘Mammoth’ sunflowers for a show stopping performance.

‘Mammoth’ sunflowers, the leviathans of their species, average 12 feet tall with their corpulent green stalks, as they command respect in any garden they dominate. ‘Mammoth’ makes an outstanding temporary screen or backdrop to summer flowering borders – their impressive stature has been likened by children to the legendary magical beanstalk. Glowing yellow petals radiate from 10 inch golden brown centers, generating extraordinary impressions against clear azure skies. For an arresting wall of spectacular sunflowers, include ‘Mammoth’ behind varieties like ‘Evening Sun,’ ‘Soraya,’ and ‘Sunspot.’

Another captivating sunflower worth growing is ‘Honey Bear.’ Distinct from most other varieties, ‘Honey Bear’ blooms plush, honey golden pom-poms, their furry faces remarkably rimmed with soft yellow beams. ‘Honey Bear’ grows five to six feet tall and looks exceptional bordering kitchen gardens and beds of summer annuals. Mix ‘Honey Bear’ with ‘Soraya,’ ‘Baby Bear,’ and ‘Tangina’ sunflowers. If you are in search of a variety to soften your sunflower bed, consider planting ‘Jade Hybrid.’ Refreshing lime green petals surge from creamy jade cores, making them excellent companions to ‘Evening Sun,’ ‘Strawberry Blonde,’ and ‘Sunspot.’ Four to five inch flowers smile cheerfully atop five-foot stalks. Whether you plant a mass of one variety or an assortment of your favorites, sunflowers are sure to brighten your garden. Embrace your youth in style this summer by adding a bit of whimsy with these charming yellow blossoms. ✦

Tips for growing sunflowers:

• Sunflowers are phototropic – they convert sunlight into energy – and follow the sun across the sky. During growth stages, sunflower heads face and follow the path of the sun. Once flowers are fully open, most sunflowers face eastward.

• Plant as many different varieties as possible, since distinct forms, colors and heights add visual interest in both the garden and vase.

• Stagger plantings over the early summer weeks – succession plantings insure longer blooming seasons through the summer and fall, and keep your sunflower gardens looking vibrant the entire season.

• As the name suggests, sunflowers need plenty of sun. Sunflowers grown in full sun have pulsating color, healthy foliage and sturdy stems.

• Cut spent blooms and plants; spent blossoms weigh down the plants, shading still growing flowers. Remember also that when removing old plants, use a knife or shears to cut stalks at the base, since pulling them can disturb roots of nearby sunflowers.

• Create a wall or focal point with hedgerows of tall sunflowers. Giant cultivars reach up to 15 feet – their large leaves and sunny yellow flowers can instantly provide a living fence of color.