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Sunflowers Have a Long History
The ancient Incas first cultivated splendid sunflowers and carved enormous
golden images of their blooms into their temples. Seeds were carried back to
Europe where they were received with wide enthusiasm and described by Spanish
and English botanists as early as 1569. Gardeners boasted of growing huge
flowers on towering stalks and the plants were named Helianthus from the Greek
words for sun and flower because these sun-worshipping New World flowers turned
on their stalks to follow the sun on its daily journey across the summer sky. In
this country, sunflowers were lovingly spread by western-bound settlers and
naturalized widely across the great plains.
Recent Sunflower Innovations
 Over the last several decades, smaller flowering, multi-branched ornamental
sunflowers in a wide range of warm colors have captivated gardeners nationwide.
Our affection for these enticing, carefree annuals is reflected in the
introduction of many new cultivars, developed worldwide by breeders in Japan,
Holland, Germany and the US. Sunflower lovers can choose from pale lemon yellow,
rich gold, orange, mahogany, deep red hues, lovely bicolor combinations and
single, semi-double and double forms.
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Renee's Garden Sunflowers:
Flower form,
"Angel's Halo"
Bouquet,
"Bright Bandolier"
Pollen Free, "Cinnamon Sun"
Dark,
"Chocolate Cherry"
Container, "Junior"
Perennial, "Maximilian"
Knee-High, "Musicbox
Edible, "Snack
Seed"
Color Mix, "Sun Samba"
Giant Edible, "Sunzilla"
Bi-Color, "The Joker"
Lemon, "Valentine"
Branching, "Moonshadow"
Giant "Titan"
Pollen Free, Early "Van Gogh"
To purchase these and other Renee's Garden Seeds,
click here |
 Many of the new cultivars are pollenless hybrids, were
developed especially for long vase life and no messy pollen drop when displayed
in bouquets. Whether you love tall exuberant sunflowers, midrange border plants
or the latest dwarf cultivars for containers and patio gardens, there are
varieties to fill every part of the garden and provide armfuls for display.
Renee also carries a Snack Seed sunflower variety bred for its big plump seed
kernels to enjoy after harvest.
Sunflower Sowing
These lively flowers are easy and reliable to grow and their big seeds and
cheerful blossoms make them good choices for gardening with children. Begin
sowing sunflower seeds when spring weather has warmed up and settled, then plant
directly into the garden in wide rows or big beds in full sun in ordinary garden
soil. Plan to make several sowings about 3 weeks apart right up until mid-July
for a long succession of bright blooms. Keep seedlings well weeded and watered
and be sure to thin or transplant to 10 or 12 inches apart to give seedlings
room enough to mature to full size.
 Birds often find sunflower seedlings a tempting treat, so protect with netting
or plastic berry baskets at planting time if necessary, removing when plants get
crowded. Sunflowers germinate quickly, in a week to 10 days if conditions are
warm enough, but if your initial sowing comes up unevenly, fill in with new
seeds right away as seedlings catch up easily. Harvest the jaunty flowers for
bouquets, but leave some blooms to go to seed, as spent flowers form tasty
nutritious seed snacks to welcome and delight fall songbirds.
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