Varieties of Sunflowers

Sunflower Pacquito Colorado

Sunflower Varieties and Types

I’ve never met a person who does not like sunflowers. Big or small, sunflowers are bright and cheerful. They are enjoyed by everyone. It’s no surprise, that many home gardeners grow them. And, with dozens of varieties of sunflowers, there’s a colorful variety for practically any garden space you have.

As sunflower enthusiasts, the home gardener is fortunate to be able to select among a wide variety of sunflowers. Listed below, are some of the most popular varieties of sunflowers available.

Did You Know? Sunflowers always face East, to the rising sun. The only exception is multi-headed varieties, which may face any or all directions.

Helianthus

Giant Sunflowers

If you want to make people gawk and stare in awe, grow giant sunflowers. Giant sunflower plants produce giant sunflower seeds for you, and for the birds. Giant sunflower seeds are a popular, healthy food source, too.  

Mammoth Sunflower -This is the most popular of giant sunflower varieties. Mammoth grows 7-12 feet tall. These stately plants produce enormous, attractive heads over a foot across. If the birds don’t harvest them first, the seeds are great for roasting.

American Giant Hybrid –   Growers use this variety for competition, it has among the biggest bloom and the tallest of plants. Plants reach up to 16 feet, with 10-inch blooms. Just wait until you see the size of the huge leaves!

Skyscraper – If you are looking for big blooms, the Skyscraper sunflower is the one. The jumbo-sized flower grows up to 14 inches across. The plant grows to 12 feet. The seeds from Skyscraper are big and delicious.

Also see:

How to Grow Giant Sunflowers

Wee Little Sunflower Varieties

Sunflower Varieties

Dwarf Incredible – Unique, full-size head, golden sunflowers, atop a plant that grows just two feet. Now, that’s incredible.! Great for pots and containers. Grows just 2 feet tall.

Firecracker – This sunflower produces large quantities of bright, 4 -5 inch mahogany-red and amber-gold, bi-color flowers. Grows 2 – 3 feet tall.

Irish Eyes – Perfect for container gardens. The blooms have golden petals with a green center. Grows 2 – 2 1/2 feet.

Paquito Colorado –  These beautiful sunflowers have a color scheme reminiscent of the American Southwest. Dark red centers are surrounded by multi-colored petals. Grows only 18″ – 24″

Topolino Sunflower

Topolino – This dwarf sunflower. puts on a show with multiple, bright yellow blooms. it can be grown almost anywhere. Try growing it indoors. Topolino tops out at two feet tall.

Other Great Sunflower Varieties

Autumn Beauty Sunflower

Autumn Beauty – Stately stems bear gold, rust, and orange bicolor blooms. Autumn Beauty Sunflowers grow 4-6 feet tall.

Double Sun Gold – Looking for huge, brilliant gold flowers with an eye-catching beauty? Try this variety. The plant grows 6 feet tall, and blooms in about 75-90 days.

Evening Sun – Here’s an unusual sunflower. It produces orange, yellow, red and mahogany blooms with soft, velvety petals.  Blooms are about 8 inches in diameter, atop a 6-foot plant.

Italian White – Luscious, 4-inch creamy petals, with a deep, dark chocolate center. An ideal cut flower. Grows to 5 feet.

Lemon Leopold – This saffron variety is like a sweet wedge of lemon for your sunflower garden. Grows 5-6 feet.

Magic Roundabout – This variety produces 4-inch flowers, that bloom until frost. Flowers are cream with a rose center and apricot with a dark red center.  Grow six feet tall.

Moonshadow – This attractive sunflower opens in a pale yellow, that rapidly fades to white, surrounding a chocolate center. Moonshadow grows 4 feet tall.

Moonshine -Unique, lemon yellow blooms with a dark brown center, sit atop a 4-foot plant. Moonshine sunflowers add color mixed with other varieties.

Moulin Rouge (Hybrid) – Moulin Rouge Sunflowers are very popular. That’s because the bloom is an attractive, 4-5 inch diameter, red sunflower with a dark center. Some people use them as cut flowers. The plant grows 5 feet tall.

Orange Mahogany Bicolor –  Orange Mahogany has brilliant shades of orange. It is truly a standout in your garden. Plant height: 5-6 feet.

Red Sun – This plant produces vivid crimson red blooms. It’s a great addition to your sunflower garden. The plant grows 5 feet tall.

There's a Sunflower variety for everyone!

Ruby Eclipse Sunflower

Ruby Eclipse – This impressive sunflower produces an abundance of ruby red and creamy lemon yellow-tipped blooms, reaching up to 10 inches in diameter.  Grows 5 – 6 feet tall.

Solar Power F1 – The central maroon disc is flanked by a ring of orange-dipped mahogany petals, creating a spectacular ring of fire to the bloom. Plant height: 5-6 feet.

Stella – 4 – 6 inches bright yellow petals with dark centers seem to smile at you! Grows 2 -5 feet.

Summer Sun(Ox-Eye) – This sunflower produces warm, orange single to semi-double blooms with overlapping petals. The plant grows 3-6 feet tall.  It’s a perennial (most sunflowers are annuals).

Teddy Bear – The Teddy Bear sunflower is as cute as a bear. The plant grows just 2 feet tall. It produces really cute, 8 inch, extra double flowers. This sunflower is understandably popular with kids.

Tithonia / Mexican Sunflower – This plant produces fiery orange, 3-inch blooms, that look more like daisies than sunflowers. Mexican sunflowers grow 4 feet tall.  Also see: How to Grow Tithonia

Velvet Queen – Stately and graceful chestnut-red blossoms. Good as a cut flower and in Fall arrangements. Grows 5 – 7 feet tall.

Related Articles

Also, people who read this article will like:

How to Grow Sunflowers

More on Sunflowers – at GardenHobbies.com

Roasted Sunflower Seeds– from our cookbook

Roasted Sunflower Seeds are the rage. Use this recipe to roast your own!

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