Ornamental Sunflower Varieties Tested in 2001
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Growers indicated that they would like to use ornamental sunflowers outside their mazes, by their road signs, and to decorate their cornfield mazes. We put in a trial of 22 varieties of ornamental sunflowers. All seeds were obtained from Johnny’s Selected Seeds. Below are pictures and comments on these varieties. Late planting (mid-June) probably reduced plant height and flower numbers on some varieties.
Branching with multiple flowers in autumn colors of oranges and reds. Flowers were 4-6 inches across. Plants were not even in height and ranged from 4-6 feet tall. |
An extra early dwarf variety. Very large flowers with large centers. Many plants had multiple blooms. Bright gold-yellow color. Plants were less than 2 feet tall. |
A very attractive flower in traditional sunflower yellow. Many multiple blooms, about 4 inches across. Very uneven plant height, ranged from 2-6 feet tall. |
Very attractive flowers, 4-6 inches across with dark centers and long petals. Plants were about 3 feet tall. |
Bright yellow flowers about 10 inches across. Long feathery petals with brown center. Plants were fairly uniform in height, color and size, about 7 feet tall. |
Lemon yellow flowers with wide petals and dark centers. Big, attractive leaves. Plants were uniform at 4-5 feet tall. Flowers 4-6 inches across. |
Beautiful dark red flowers with black centers. Very eye-catching. Branching with 4 inch blooms. Plants varied in height from 4 to 7 feet. |
Dwarf plants under 3 feet tall with dark foliage. Very uniform, branching with lots of blooms. Medium yellow flowers with dark yellow centers, 4/5 inches across. |
Dwarf plants under 3 feet tall with dark foliage. Very uniform, branching with lots of blooms. Medium yellow flowers with dark yellow centers, 4/5 inches across. |
This variety did not perform well in this trial. Germination was poor and plants were weak, spindly, with scant foliage. Plants were uneven in height, ranging from 2-5 feet tall. The flowers were pretty, with big rounded rich yellow petals and a dark center, about 5 inches across. |
This variety has similar flowers to Sonja, with the wide petals, but the plants were much stronger and healthier looking. Great color, multiple blooms, 4-6 inches across, but plant height was not uniform and ranged from 1-4 feet. |
Very large yellow-green center surrounded by short, bright yellow petals. Single blooms, 6 inches across, per plant. Plants were about 3 feet tall. |
Similar to Sunbeam but with darker centers. Single bloom per plant. Plants were fairly uniform and about 5 feet tall |
Similar to Sunbright but with smaller centers. Single, 6 inch blooms per plant. Plants uniform at about 3 feet tall |
Dwarf sunflower; under 3 feet tall. Unusual bronze to yellow flower with a very uneven brown center. Petals tended to curl, making flowers look wilted. |
4-6 inch, lemon yellow flowers with light green centers. Pretty color. Plants about 4 feet tall. |
Golden yellow flowers with an almost orange center. Flowers were about 6 inches across and plants were about 5 feet tall. |
Big, shaggy, “pom-pom” like flowers on little 2 foot tall plants. Multiple blooms. Fun and different. |
A double, bicolor flower with dark red centers fading out to yellow tipped petals. Big clusters of 4 inch blooms on top of 6 foot tall plants. Very attractive. |
Big double flowers, about 7 inches across, in bright yellow. These are shaggy in the middle with a single band of flat petals around the outside. Multiple blooms. Plants varied in height from 3-6 feet. |
Beautiful pale-lemon yellow flowers with very dark centers. This variety drew a lot of attention. Lots and lots of flowers about 6 inches across. Plants were about 4 feet tall. |
Dark velvety red flowers with brown centers. Flowers were about 5 inches across on plants 5-6 feet tall. |