Plant a Patch of Sunshine!
What's the happiest flower in the world? That would be the Sunflower, no doubt. Sunflowers have long inspired artists and gardeners the world over with their beautiful, sunny yellow blooms. Not only are they incredibly easy to grow, but they also make wonderful cut flowers and, if you leave the dried flower heads and stems standing at the end of the season, local birds will feast on the nutritious seeds. Bees love Sunflowers, and will happily spend their afternoons buzzing from blossom to blossom.

  Ornamental Sunflower breeders have created a playground of colors, shapes, and sizes to explore. Our favorite varieties range in size from just 2' tall to over 16' tall! Choose a traditional sunny yellow or some of our more unusual colors--we even offer a fully double variety!
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Sunflower Selections for Garden and Vase
Sunflowers are North American natives, it is said that the Mormons scattered Sunflower seeds along their journey to Utah so that others could follow their sunny path months later. Easy to grow in bright sunlight, our varieties are all low-pollen (with the exception of American Giant Sunflowers) for longer vase life, and have smaller centers and unusual color combinations. Love nibbling on Sunflower seeds? Grow our  Snacking Sunflower Mixture, a blend of varieties with jumbo seeds that are perfect for snacking and for feeding the local birds.
The florist's favorite for bouquets, this beauty has sunny golden flowers with dark centers. The flowers are about 3 1/2" across, low pollen and quite floriferous. Height: 3 1/2'.
Another strong-branching variety, low pollen for longer vase life, it has single, deep burgundy-red flowers with dark cocoa centers. These medium-sized flowers are 4" to 6" across. Height: 5' to 7'.
These fully double, golden-orange flowers are 5" to 8" across with the full look of a chrysanthemum. It has strong-branching stems, low pollen and long-lasting flowers. Height: 5' to 6'.
Only 2' tall, lemon yellow Junior Dwarf may be planted in windy areas and in gardens where flowers over 4' tall appear excessive. Also good for pots, the 4" flowers are perfect for bouquets.
New! An unusual variety in any sunflower patch, Jade's palest yellow to white petals darken to chartreuse as they reach the flower's darker yellow-green center. The effect is fresh, cool and lovely. The early-blooming, 5"-wide, low pollen flowers are borne on freely branching stems. Height: 4' to 5'.
Not only are these the tallest Sunflowers we've ever grown but they have the strongest stalks, almost worthy of young sapling status. They're single-stemmed with ginormous, 10" wide, brilliant yellow-petaled flowers! They make amazing border hedges. In the fall, the birds feast on their huge seeds. Height: Up to 16'!
This German bi-color has 5", bright russet-red flowers uniformly tipped in yellow and dotted with dark mahogany centers. Low pollen for longer vase life and its strong branching trait means more flowers for bouquets! Height: 4'.
Single-stemmed, stunning beauties, each flower ranges from 3" to 6" across in lemon-yellow, orange and peach plus a red bi-color with yellow petal tips. Maturing in 50 to 60 days, it is day length neutral and low pollen. Height: 4' to 6'.
Create an enchanted Sunflower wonderland in a range of white, lemon, yellow, gold, dark red to almost black solids and bi-colors in a variety of forms: singles, doubles, crested, branching, single-stemmed, low pollen for longer vase life and multi-flowering. You wont believe your eyes. Height: 3' to 6'. Check out our Irresistible Cutting Garden on our Collections' page.
This collection includes one packet of each of our stunning varieties at about 10% off regular prices: 
  • Florenza Bi-color Sunflowers
  • Santa Fe Double Sunflowers
  • Sonya Bouquet Sunflowers 
  • Moulin Rouge Sunflowers
  • Junior Dwarf Sunflowers
  • Colorful Fantasia Sunflower Mixture
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    Sow Them Directly into Your Garden Beds
    Sunflower seeds should be sown in full sun, in well-draining, loamy soil after the danger of frost has passed. Sunflower blooms always face east. Plan your planting accordingly: If you sow your seeds in a bed that faces west, you'll be staring at the backs of your Sunflowers all summer long.    Plant the seeds 1/2" deep and keep the seedbed uniformly moist until the seedlings emerge, about 10 days after sowing. Weed the bed carefully to avoid disturbing the seedlings' tender roots and keep it well-watered until the seedlings' roots are established.

      If you'd like to get a jump start on the season, you may also start Sunflowers indoors 3 weeks before the last frost date (find yours HERE). Plant the seeds 1/2" deep in pots of good seed-starting mix at 65° to 85°F. Provide even moisture, strong light and good ventilation. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, thin or transplant them 12" to 24" apart in the garden. Sunflowers may be planted successively every 3 weeks in the spring and early summer for more continuous blooms.
    Fun Sunflower Facts
    - Sunflowers are North American natives and were cultivated by native Americans  up to 5,000 years ago  for food, oil, and decoration. Spanish conquistadors brought them to Europe in the 16th century.
    - Russian farmers are largely responsible for Sunflowers' popularity today. They were the major hybridizers and producers of sunflowers for oil and seeds until recent times. Russian immigrants brought modern versions of Sunflowers back with them to the Americas in the 19th century.
    - The tallest Sunflower ever grown, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, was cultivated by a German gardener and was over 30 feet tall!  The largest sunflower head ever recorded was almost 3 feet wide.
    - Sunflower seeds are arranged in a pattern of interconnected spirals. There are normally 34 spirals facing one direction and 55 spirals facing the opposite direction, though very large flowers can have 89 spirals in one direction and 144 spirals in the other. 
    - Sunflower plants have been used to extract toxins from contaminated soil.

    More of the Happiest Flowers on Earth
    Some flowers intrigue us with their delicate beauty, some are useful for attracting wildlife and some are so fragrant that you can't help but grow them. But then there are the flowers that bring an instant smile to your face whenever you see them. Whether they're exuberantly colorful, big and bodacious, or just bring back wonderful memories from your childhood, these flowers are sure to up the happiness factor in your garden. 
    A favorite cottage garden annual from yesteryear, Cosmos is an easy-to-grow, self-seeder that thrives in virtually any soil. Prized as a romantic cut flower, it's also bee friendly and deer resistant. 
    These nostalgic heirlooms have the pleasant, sweet fragrance of honey and oranges. Large clusters of dainty flowers are borne on graceful vines that crave support of a trellis.  
    Prized for their peppery, sweet-spicy flavor, these dwarf, mounding heirlooms are among the most widely grown of all edible flowers. They're cheerful in the garden, too!
    Used as edible garnishes, a natural food dye and cut flowers, Bachelor's Buttons are as gorgeous as they are versatile and practical. Bee friendly and deer resistant!
    This Morning Glory sibling is a prized, night-blooming heirloom vine that will scramble up supportive structures for a most addictive, jasmine-scented evening curtain. 
    This old-fashioned annual is easy to grow and is considered a standard in summer bouquets and gardens. Seed directly into the garden after the last frost date in the spring. Bee friendly.  
    An old-fashioned favorite, this extremely decorative, edible flower is often varying shades of deep saffron-yellow; hence, its nickname, The Poor Man's Saffron. 
    These old-fashioned flowers add reliable color to gardens of every size and style. Rediscover their care-free, aromatic charm, with the added bonus that their flowers are edible! 
    A continuous performer from early summer through first frost, this vine begins its show each morning with profuse, trumpet-shaped flowers amongst lush, heart shaped foliage.