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The sunflower also has a lot to offer in terms of growth habit, flower color and shape. We present the most beautiful species and varieties.

Sunflowers (Helianthus) put every viewer in a good summer mood when their bright blossoms appear in the warm season. Apart from the ubiquitous love of the sun, the various types of sunflower are characterized by a wide variety of flower colors and sizes as well as growth forms. Whether impressive varieties for planting in beds or small varieties for pot culture, whether perennial perennials or annual plants - sunflowers offer an often underestimated diversity. Here we present the most beautiful sunflower varieties for pots and beds.

Sunflower species: Discover diversity

The genus of sunflowers (Helianthus) includes 67 species. In Europe, the actual sunflower (Helianthus annuus) and Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) are known as cultivated plants. The plants of this genus form flower heads that stand alone or in groups. Depending on the species, the growth height can be between 20 centimeters and more than five meters, with small varieties such as 'Sunspot' being ideal for growing sunflowers in pots.

Sunflowers grow just as well in pots as in beds

But true giants can also be grown in the bed. However, types like H. annuus to be sown anew every year. Perennial sunflowers are a good alternative. Because species like Helianthus decapetalus survive the cold season without any winter protection and will show their sunny flowers again next year.

Sunflower Varieties: Popular and Beautiful Varieties

Sunflowers are both popular ornamental plants and important crops. The breeding interest and the resulting diversity of varieties are correspondingly large. Looking at the flower characteristics, one can generally distinguish between varieties with high nectar production, which are particularly suitable for bee pastures, extra early or particularly late flowering varieties and varieties with low or high oil content and high grain yield. There are also pollen-free onesSorts. These are particularly good for cutting in vases because the flowers don't leave sticky, yellow pollen trails in the house. In addition, the flower colors range from the typical bright yellow through orange, red and brown to bronze tones. In addition to simple basket flowers, there are also varieties with double or semi-double flowers. You can find out more about sunflowers in vases in our special article.

Sunflowers are very popular, hence the large variety

Sunflower varieties for the bed

The Helianthus annus offers the largest selection of varieties for planting out in beds. The annual plants are sown anew in the bed every year. The plants, which grow up to three meters high, die off in winter. The yellow to reddish-brown flowers stretch towards the sun from July to September. We present 25 particularly beautiful and insect-friendly varieties of H. annuus before:

  • Tiffany: Orange-yellow flowers with a dark centre; Growth height up to 190 cm.
  • Inara Orange: Orange flowers with a reddish-brown center; growth height up to 160 cm; pollen free.
  • Sunrich Gold: Orange-yellow flowers with a golden-yellow center; growth height up to 200 cm; pollen free.
  • Sunrich Orange: Orange petals with a dark center; growth height up to 170 cm; pollen free.
Belongs to the pollen-free varieties: 'Sunrich Orange'
  • Orange Sun: Double, orange-yellow flowers from August to October; Growth height up to 150 cm.
  • Yellow Discus: Yellow petals; Growth height up to 180 cm.
  • King Kong: Sunny Yellow Petals; makes strikingly large flowers and leaves; Growth height up to 500 cm.
  • Prado Gold: Light golden yellow flowers with a dark brown centre; growth height up to 200 cm; flowering very early.
  • Sonja: Large, golden-yellow flowers with a dark center; Growth height up to 100 cm.
  • Mezzulah: Sun yellow flowers with an almost black centre; growth height 120 cm; suitable for windy locations.
  • American Giant: Bright yellow flowers; Growth height up to 400 cm.
  • Titan: Yellow flowers up to 60 cm in size; Growth height up to 360 cm.
  • Golden Hedge: Pale yellow petals; pollen free; particularly suitable for late sowing (until mid-July).
  • Snack: Yellow Petals; growth height up to 200 cm; this variety was specially bred for harvesting sunflower seeds; the kernels have a high vitamin content and taste spicy.
  • Atlanta: Golden-yellow petals with a dark center; growth height up to 250 cm; insect friendly.
  • Prado Red: Dark red flowers with a black center;Growth height up to 160 cm.
  • Terracotta: Bicolored flowers of orange and yellow with a dark center; Growth height up to 180 cm.
    • Dark red flowers and black center: ˈPrado Redˈ
  • Velvet Queen: Deep red petals with black center; 15 cm large flowers; Height of growth about 150 cm.
  • Evening sun: Brown-red flower with a dark, brown-red centre; Growth height up to 200 cm.
  • Ring of Fire: Two-toned flower of yellow and red with a dark center; Growth height up to 120 cm.
  • La Torre: Bicolored flowers of yellow and orange-red with a reddish-brown center; growth height up to 200 cm; insect friendly.
  • Cherry Rose: flowers with a gradient from light yellow to burgundy red; growth height up to 150 cm; pollen free.
  • Earthwalker: Terracotta petals fading to golden yellow; Growth height up to 300 cm.
  • Pro Cut Bicolor: Two-tone bronze and golden yellow petals; growth height up to 200 cm; pollen free.
  • Floristan: Red-white flowers; Growth height up to 120 cm.
    • An eye-catcher in the garden: 'Floristan'

    But there are not only annual varieties. If you want to save yourself the annual sowing, you can fall back on perennial perennial sunflowers. Most varieties of these species are even hardy. However, the seeds of these are not edible, the flowers are smaller and the plants usually only reach a maximum height of two meters depending on the variety.

    Perennial Sunflower (Helianthus decapetalus): flowers from July to October; growth height up to 200 cm; hardy to -29 °C.

    • Capenoch Star: Light yellow flowers with a yellow center from August to September; Growth height up to 180 cm.
    • Loddon Gold: Double, sun-yellow flowers from July to November; Growth height up to 140 cm.
    • Meteor: Golden, semi-double flowers with a yellow center from August to October; Growth height up to 180 cm.
    • Soleil d'Or: double, bright yellow flowers with a golden center from August to October; Growth height up to 160 cm.
    • Triomphe de Gand: Lemon-yellow flowers with a yellow center from August to October; Growth height up to 150 cm.

    Small-flowered sunflower (Helianthus microcephalus): Deep yellow flowers from August to September; branched growth up to 180 cm; forms clumps; hardy to -17 °C.

    • Anne: Bright yellow flowers from August to October; growth height up to 110 cm; particularly suitable for bee pastures.
    • Carine: Light lemon yellow flowers; reddish stems.
    • Lemon Queen: Lemon-yellow petals with a brownish-yellow center from August to September; Growth height up to 250 cm.
    • Tight Prairie Gast: Sunny yellow flowers from August to October; Growth height up to 150 cm.
    Lemon Yellow Petals: 'Lemon Queen'

    Giant Sunflower (Helianthus giganteus): Yellow flowers from August to October; growth height up to 400 cm; hardy to -35 °C.

    • Sheila McQueen: Sulfur yellow flowers from September to October; Growth height up to 250 cm.
    • Sheila's Sunshine: Bright, creamy-yellow flowers with dark yellow centers from September to November; Growth height up to 300 cm.

    Willow-leaved Sunflower (Helianthus salicifolius): Yellow flowers from September to October; very narrow and long leaves; perennial; growth height up to 250 cm; fast growing; hardy to -35 °C.

    The willow-leaved sunflower has narrow and long leaves

    Eyed Sunflower (Helianthus atrorubens): Yellow flowers with brown center in panicles from August to September; the species is suitable for bee meadows; growth height up to 200 cm; hardy.

    • Giganteus: Very long, bright yellow petals with a dark brown center from August to October; Growth height up to 200 cm.

    Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus): flowers with yellow petals and brown center from September to November; growth height up to 250 cm; hardy to -30 °C; the tubers are edible.

    Jerusalem artichoke is also a sunflower

    Sunflower varieties for pots

    When you think of sunflowers, you usually think of true giants among flowering plants, but there are also a few small varieties of 67 species. These are ideal for growing in pots or tubs, as they rarely reach heights of more than a meter. To give you an overview of the diversity among the sun-worshippers, we present 16 small varieties for growing sunflowers in pots:

    • Pacino: Bright yellow flowers from March to June; growth height up to 30 cm (outdoors 80 cm); rich and long flowering.
    • Sun Gold: Yellow flowers with a green center from March to July; growth height up to 60 cm; pollen free.
    • Big Smile: Sunny yellow flowers with a dark center from May to October; Growth height up to 30 cm.
    • Sunny Smile: Bright yellow flowers with a dark brown center; growth height up to 40 cm; pollen free.
    • Sunspot: Golden yellow flowers with a green center; Growth height up to 40 cm.
    • Suntastic: Bright yellow petals with a dark center; growth height up to 50 cm; forms up to 20 flowers per plant.
    Some varieties can also be cultivated as pot plants
    • Yellow Knirps: Double, yellow flowers from July to October; growth height up to 50 cm; low in pollen.
    • Garden Statement: Lemon-yellow flowers with a dark center from July to September; Growth height up to 80 cm.
    • Ballad: Sun yellow flowers with a large, dark center; growth height up to 40 cm; pollen free.
    • Little Leo: Bright yellow flowers with a dark center from July to September; Growth height up to 45 cm.
    • Miss Mars: Red petals with white tips and black centers from June to October; Growth height up to 60 cm.
    • Double Dandy: Semi-double, red flowers from June to October; Growth height up to 60 cm.
    ˈPacinoˈ is very suitable as a pot plant
    • Teddy Bear: Double, orange-yellow flowers from April to June; Growth height up to 40 cm (outdoors 70 cm).
    • Bert: Bright orange-yellow flowers with a dark center; growth height up to 45 cm; pollen free.
    • Baby Bear: Orange blossoms; growth height up to 60 cm; pollen free.
    • Music Box: Many small flowers of light yellow, golden yellow and brown from July to September; Growth height up to 60 cm.

    Tip: Nutrients are used up quickly, especially in pots, and sunflowers should be fertilized regularly. A liquid fertilizer such as our Plantura organic flower and balcony fertilizer is particularly easy to use. This is simply added to the irrigation water every one to two weeks and ensures strengthened sunflowers with magnificent blossoms.

    The named varieties all belong to the species H. annuus and are therefore annual. If you want to enjoy your potted sunflowers for several years, you can use small perennial sunflowers like H. decapetalus 'Happy Days' back. This variety forms semi-double, golden-yellow flowers from June to September and reaches a height of about 60 centimetres.

    Teddy Bear Sunflowers have double flowers

    Dwarf Sunflowers (Helianthus debilis ssp. cucumerifolius)

    An alternative to varieties of H that remain small. annuus are the varieties of the dwarf sunflower. At around 120 centimetres, these are slightly larger than the varieties mentioned above, but are easily suitable for cultivation in large pots or in tubs. The species is also an annual and develops yellow flowers with a dark center from August to September. It is ideal for creating a bee pasture, is particularly drought tolerant and also grows on nutrient-poor soil.

    • Vanilla Ice: Small, creamy white flowers; growth height up to 120 cm;long flowering period.
    • Italian White: Multi-flowered creamy white with dark blue center; Growth height up to 120 cm.
    • Piccolo: medium-sized, yellow flowers with a dark brown center; Growth height up to 100 cm.
    • Sunny Babe: Small, yellow flowers with a black center; Growth height up to 120 cm.
    • Stella: golden yellow flowers; Growth height up to 140 cm.
    ‘Italian White’ belongs to the dwarf sunflowers

    Have you already chosen one of these beautiful sunflower varieties? Then it's worth checking out our article on planting and caring for sunflowers.

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