These Novel Sunflowers Show They Don’t Need To Be Yellow

When people think of Sunflowers, they think of tall, bright, bold, yellow flowers.  These flowers bring to mind a cheerful summer day.  Sunflowers can’t help but make you happy when you see them.

Recently, we shared some photos of different colored Sunflowers on our Facebook page and people really enjoyed them.  We started doing some research and thought we would let you know about some other non-yellow Sunflowers. 

Here are 5 novel Sunflowers we fell in love with and where you can get the seeds to grow them on your own:

 

Chocolate Cherry Sunflower

This unique Sunflower has blooms that have chocolate-burgundy petals around a chocolate color center. This flower will certainly make your garden or bouquet unique.  They bloom for about 5 to 6 weeks. The plant grows 6-8 feet tall and has long flower stems.  They look great at the back of the border and are excellent for pollinator gardens as bees, birds, and butterflies love them.

Find Them At:

Beyond Organic Seed

Burpee

Velvet Queen Sunflower

This Sunflower has colorful burnt orange petals that are offset by the large, dark center.  The plant produces flowers that grow about 5-inches in diameter and grow 5 to 8 feet tall.  A fantastic plant that is wonderful when used for the rear of your border. The seeds provide sustenance for migratory birds, oil for cooking, and are edible.

Find Them At:

Hudson Valley Seed

Eden Brothers

Italian White Sunflower

This Sunflower has creamy white and golden blossoms with a dark chocolate center.  The flowers are 4-inches wide and 5 to 7 feet tall. These tall Sunflowers are drought and heat tolerant.  They are very easy to take care of and attract birds and butterflies to your garden. Enjoy their blooms all summer long and into early fall.

Find Them At:

Urban Farmer

Park Seed

Sun-Fill™ Green Sunflower

This unusual Sunflower is green.  The fast-growing plant cultivates blooms that are 3-4 inches wide and the flowers are pollen-free. With Sun-Fill Green, the multi-layered, lime green outer calyxes create the show; they add a gorgeous new dimension for sunflower bouquets. The blooms last a very long time on the plant and in the vase. The plant grows 4-6 feet

Find Them At:

Johnny Seeds

Swallowtail Garden Seeds

Sun-Fill™ Purple Sunflower

Get creative in the garden with this Sunflower.  This easy-to-care-for plant is fast-growing and produces sturdy 3-4 inches geometric flower heads.  The petals are green in the center and then fade to purple.  This annual flower makes an interesting addition to any floral bouquet.  This sunflower is also pollenless and grows 4-6 feet. 

Find Them At:

Johnny Seeds

SunflowerSelections.com

Remember these sun-loving plants need well-drained soil.  They are hardy plants that will produce pollinator-attracting flowers and appetizing seeds for us and our bird friends.

When planting Sunflowers you can start the seeds indoors but remember they do not like to be transplanted, so grow them in peat pots for easy transplantation.  Start the seeds 6 to 8 weeks before your anticipated last frost.  Plant the entire pot in the garden, or you can start them directly in your soil if your weather is warm enough. It is most likely you will need stakes to support them, so make sure you have them ready to go. Eventually, the stems become strong enough for the plant to stand on its own.

Sunflowers grow long roots and the roots can rot if they get too much water, so make sure they are not planted in excessively wet soil. They also enjoy being in full sun for most of the day and you will need to water them daily to keep the soil moist.

Sunflower seeds germinate quickly usually within 2 to 10 days. Depending on the variety you plant they can grow anywhere from 4 to 8 feet tall.  Try spacing them 6 to 12 inches apart to give them enough room.

If you try any of these varieties, please share your photos with us on our Facebook page.

Please note:  Seeds are subject to availability

Photos courtesy of: Beyond Organic Seed, Eden Brothers, Urban Farmer, and Johnny Seeds.

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