🌻 Sunflower
Helianthus annuus
The overachiever that tracks the sun and feeds everybody.
Sun
Full sun, 6+ hrs
Days to harvest
Blooms 70–100 days from seed, depending on variety
Spacing
6 inches apart for cut flowers; 12–18 for giants
Soil pH
6.0–7.5
How to grow
Direct sow after the last frost — sunflowers grow a taproot fast and resent transplanting. In Florida you can succession-sow spring through early fall. Branching types give armloads of cut flowers; single-stem types give one glorious head each.
Water & feeding
Water deeply once a week once established; they're drought-tough but bigger blooms come with consistent moisture.
Common problems
- Slugs and snails mow down seedlings — protect young plants
- Powdery mildew late in season; space for airflow
- Birds harvest the seeds before you do — bag heads with mesh if you want them
Harvest
Cut when petals lift off the head but before pollen sheds for longest vase life; leave heads standing for birds and seed harvest.
Nerdy fact: Young sunflower heads track the sun across the sky, then lock facing east as they mature — warming up faster each morning to attract early pollinators.