Did you know that there are over 70 varieties of sunflower?
The Latin name for the sunflower is Helianthus which is derived from the name of the Greek sun god Helios.
The flowers can be up to 24” across. The typical sunflower plants grow from 6-10’. Giant varieties can grow 15-20’. The world record sunflower grew to just over 30’ tall. Smaller varieties start at 8”.
Wild sunflower plants often have multiple stems and flower heads that are much smaller than the cultivated types. The single step plants are usually grown for the seeds while the multi-stem plants have better flowers for cutting.
Flowers can be white, yellow, orange, red, burgundy and purple with all sorts of blends and combinations.
They are loved by pollinators and birds. If you like wildlife, choose some sunflowers! Just protect them from the deer.
