15 Different Types of Sunflowers to Plant In Your Garden
Add some sunshine to your garden with these gorgeous sunflower varieties.
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Sunflowers are some of the best types of flowers you should have in your garden. With more than 70 different varieties, these annual plants come in tons of different sizes and colors. Sunflowers are native to North America and are one of the easiest flowers to grow. In addition to being drought-tolerant and pest-resistant, sunflowers love the summer heat and are full-sun flowers that thrive in a garden with lots of light. In fact, sunflowers love the sunshine so much that they’re known for heliotropism, a behavior in which plants move throughout the day so that they’re always facing the sun.
Thinking about adding sunflowers to your garden? Read up on these essential grow tips:
- Sunflowers are some of the best low-maintenance flowers. While they need water to grow tall, they don’t do well with overwatering. Sunflowers would rather have too little water than too much.
- Sunflowers have long roots that need space to spread out. For average sized sunflowers (about 3 feet tall), space your seeds about a foot apart. Looking to win a prize for the tallest sunflower at your state fair? Think about planting your seeds about 3 feet apart.
- Because of their height, sunflowers can be susceptible to damage from wind. Plant yours along a wall or fence for built-in support.
Now, all you need to get started is to pick out your sunflower seeds! When shopping for seeds, keep in mind that sunflowers can be categorized into three groups: tall, dwarf, and colored. Tall sunflower varieties can grow up to 15 feet tall. (The tallest sunflower on record measured in at 30 feet and 1 inch tall!) Dwarf sunflower types only grow to be about 3 feet tall and are perfect for small spaces such as garden boxes and planters. Sunflowers also come in a variety of colors now thanks to hybridization. Click through the gallery to learn more about some of our favorite types of sunflowers. There’s a reason sunflowers are some of the best flowers that bloom in summer!
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