How to Grow Annual Sunflowers for Pollinators and Wildlife

Easily grown from seed, this symbol of summer is a gift for pollinators, birds, and your garden

As we enter the dog days of summertime , many of us are buzzing about with trip to the beach , firing up the old grille , and keep our country ’s independency . In between our attempts to take as much into the lovesome months of the yr as we can , consider spring up a plant that symbolizes the top of the season like no other , the helianthus ( Helianthusannuus , annual ) . Though considered in some circles a jolly pedestrian plant life that befits only the initiate gardener , there are many reason why grow helianthus are a blessing to your garden . Learn all about how and why to farm annual sunflower below .

Sunflower Basics at a Glance

( Helianthusannuus )

one-year

Light : Minimum 6 hours a day of sunlight

land : Well - drained , slightly acidic to passably alkaline

Moisture : Deep , regular watering

Fertilizer : Not necessary . Can go for slow - spillage plant food after second set of leaves seem to help maturation .

Did you bed ?

The name “ common helianthus ” did not make out from its sunshiny appearance but the plant ’s power to play along the sunshine . Young flowers are able to chase after the sunshine from east to west daily and reorient themselves every night to greet the sunshine in the morning . As the inflorescence matures and the floral halt gain rigidness , the sun go after ceases and the fixed position as maturation fall out is due E . This phenomenon of flower heads following the sun is calledheliotropism .

Grow Sunflowers for Pollinators and Wildlife

Although many bear a sunflower is one expectant flower , the inflorescence , or anthesis anatomical structure , ofHelianthus annuusis actually a complex of many flowers . This is a telltale trait for the Asteraceae family , to which sunflowers , daisies , aster , and others go . The composite head is made up of hundreds , or even thousands , of item-by-item tiny disk floret inside a ring of ray florets . The outer ray florets are sterile , but the countless disk floret can all produce a viable seed if decent pollinated . As a result , sunflowers are hump by pollinators due to the gamy assiduousness of nectar and pollen provided by the thousands of tiny flowers in a compact blank space .

The bird enthusiast among us may consider growing sunflower to affix the decline and wintertime diets of our feather friends . helianthus seed are super nutritious , an fantabulous root of protein , and mellow in calories . As bird prepare for fall migration , helianthus seeds can serve them build reserve for their recollective trajectory . Conversely , those that hold out the winter very much appreciate the seed ’s mellow fat contentedness to keep them warm through the colder months . The goldfinch , peachy spotted woodpecker , house finch , northerly cardinal , bootleg - cap chickadee , junco , bereavement dove , tufted titmouse , grey catbird , white - breasted nutcracker , and many others prefer sunflower seed as a food seed . Learn birds in wintertime .

To mime the natural seasonality of migration or construction up of reserves for the winter , but leave the fledged flower on the stalking and allow Bronx cheer and other mammals such as squirrels and chipmunks to forage as they see set . Or , if you would care to supplement prey throughout the wintertime , reap the blossom heads as they begin to turn chocolate-brown and hang them in a wry location for use after . determine more here .

Also an excellentfood root for mankind , helianthus have become a more ordinarily grow agronomic crop . Thousands of acres are sown yearly to produce sunflower oil color as well as roasted seeds . Roasting your own helianthus seeds can make for a sizable and delicious collation or a special hand-crafted endowment .

Growing Sunflowers from Seed

A relatively quick - to - mature crop , 85–95 days is all that is require from planting to harvest . To extend the floral display , stagger planting of come or seedlings every 2–3 weeks .

How to Direct Sow Sunflowers:

How to Start Sunflower Seeds Indoors:

What Sunflowers Need to Grow:

Sunflower Pests to Watch For:

The Best Sunflower Varieties to Try

A Great Dwarf Sunflower Variety

A yummy dwarf variety with tiptop - unique dual blooms , ‘ Teddy Bear ’ is an excellent pick for smaller gardens and terrace container . Photo : Dawnn McWatters

The Best Sunflower for Wildlife

A field of ‘ Black oil ’ helianthus . Photo : NCDOTcommunicationsviaCC BY 2.0

An Unusual Color in a Sunflower

A vibrant red annual sunflower count beautiful when autumn comes . picture : Swallowtail Garden SeedsbyCC BY 2.0

For the True Sunflower Enthusiast

‘ Mammoth Second Earl Grey stripe ’ is a gravid variety of sunflower that loom over 12 fundament tall .

A Sunflower for a Paler Garden Palette

‘ Vanilla ice ’ put up a low-cal yellowness for use in the garden and bouquets . picture : Agnieszka Kwiecień , Nova , CC BY - SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

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One flower, or thousands? What many would think is just the “center” part of one big sunflower bloom is thousands of individual flowers that can each be pollinated and produce a viable seed.Photo:James JohnstoneviaCC BY 2.0

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using sunflowers as birdfeeders

Though this drooping, end-of-season sunflower might look a little unsightly and sad, it’s a beautiful bounty for birds and small mammals during a critical time. Photo: Michelle Gervais

sunflower seedlings

Sunflowers can be direct sown into your garden or started indoors for earlier flowering or a succession of blooms.Photo: Jennifer Benner

‘Teddy Bear’ sunflower

A delectable dwarf variety with super-unique double blooms, ‘Teddy Bear’ is an excellent pick for smaller gardens and patio containers.Photo: Dawnn McWatters

Black oil sunflower in field