I find comfort in contemplating the sunflowers. - Vincent van Gogh
The sunflower is one of my favorite flowers. Known as Helianthus, this name is derived from the Greek word helios, meaning sun, and anthos, meaning flower. Every year I grow a variety of sunflowers. They are fascinating plants with their cheerful faces and many shapes and colors that delight people all over the world.
I enjoy watching the sunflowers grow and mature, reaching for the sky. As they create buds, they produce spiky green leaves called bracts that appear on the edge of the flower head. Slowly the petals of the flower open in the warm sun. Once the petals are open, they cover the bracts from the front. Then the flower show begins and it can last through August and into September.
Sunflowers are Inspirational
The story you learned as a child, that sunflowers follow the sun all day is true, but only for the young plants. Once the flower blooms, the plant will only face east. Because young sunflowers follow the sun, many cultures see them as symbolic of loyalty, faith, and spirituality. Also many people find the way that they stand tall and upright inspirational.
A few years ago I decided to collect seeds from a variety of sunflowers to experiment with different heights, colors, and size of bloom. Look at any garden catalog and you will get a sense of the great variety that is available. Their are many choices, from compact, smaller sunflowers to ones that grow over ten feet tall. Before you buy, be sure to read the seed packet carefully to understand how high a particular sunflower can grow.
Many Types of Sunflowers
I like to try different sizes, especially the tall varieties. The dilemma is choosing which ones to plant and where to plant them so they won't cast shade on other plants that need sun. As I discovered last summer, some sunflowers are extremely tall and tower over me. Last year, I measured my Heirloom Mammoth Greystripe sunflower after I took it down at the end of the growing season. I laid it on the ground and took out my tape measure. It was twelve feet tall! Another impressive sunflower is the Heirloom Titan, which I also grew to a measured height of twelve feet. With such tall plants, at some point I have to stake them for extra support.
A sunflower that was new for me last summer was the Shock-O-Lat, named because of its chocolate-colored petals with a striking thin yellow ring around the dark center. I loved this unusual looking sunflower. It grew six feet tall and produced abundant blooms for weeks.
In recent years I have become aware of the pollinators for my sunflowers. Scientists know that bees can see various colors, including including blue-green, violet and reddish colors such as yellow and orange. With their vivid colors, sunflowers attract honey bees, wild bees and hover flies, in addition to birds and butterflies. Bees are attracted to the warm, flat surface of sunflower’s center.
Sunflowers are important plants for the environment, offering food for insects and birds. All you need is an area in full sun and a little care to enjoy these stunning plants all summer.
This article appears in The Laurel of Asheville. Follow @TheObservantGardener on Instagram to see new garden photos daily!