Varieties of Sunflowers

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 Sunflower varieties, 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 many varieties of sunflowers. Listed below, are some of the most popular varieties available.

There are 70 species of sunflowers. You’re going to love them all!

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

Botanical Name: Helianthus

Giant Varieties of Sunflowers

If you want to make people gawk and stare in awe, grow giant sunflowers. Giant sunflower plants produce giant seeds for you and for the birds to enjoy. Squirrels eat them, too. 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 produces 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

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

Firecracker – This sunflower produces large quantities of bright, four to five- inch mahogany red and amber gold, bi-color flowers. The plant grows two to three feet tall.

Irish Eyes – Perfect for container gardens. The blooms have golden petals with a green center. It 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. This small plant grows just eighteen to twenty-four inches tall.

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 – Stately stems bear gold, rust, and orange bicolor blooms. Autumn Beauty Sunflowers grow four to six feet tall.

Double Sun Gold – Looking for huge, brilliant gold flowers with an eye-catching beauty? Try this variety. The plant grows six feet tall. It 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. The blooms are about eight inches in diameter, sitting atop a six-foot plant.

Italian White – The flower head has luscious, four-inch creamy petals, with a deep, dark chocolate center. It is an ideal cut flower. The plant grows up to five feet.

Lemon Leopold – This saffron variety is like a sweet wedge of lemon for your sunflower garden. It grows five to six feet tall.

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

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

Moonshine -Unique, lemon yellow blooms with a dark brown center, sit atop a four-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, four to five-inch diameter, red sunflower with a dark center. Some people use them as cut flowers. The plant grows five feet tall.

Orange Mahogany Bicolor – Orange Mahogany has brilliant shades of orange. It is truly a standout in your flower garden. Plant height is five to six feet tall.

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

There's a Sunflower Variety for Everyone!

Ruby Eclipse – This impressively handsome sunflower produces an abundance of ruby red and creamy lemon yellow-tipped blooms, reaching up to ten inches in diameter. The plant grows five to six feet tall.

Solar Power F1 – The central maroon colored disc is flanked by a ring of orange-dipped mahogany petals, creating a spectacular ring of fire to the bloom. The plant height is five to six feet.

Stella – This four to six inch flowerhead has bright yellow petals with dark centers. It seems to smile at you! The plant grows two to five feet tall.

Summer Sun (Ox-Eye) – This sunflower produces warm, orange, single to semi-double blooms with overlapping petals. The plant grows three to six feet tall. And, it’s a perennial! Most sunflowers are annuals.

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

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

Velvet Queen – This flowerhead has stately and graceful chestnut-red blossoms. It is good for use as a cut flower. Include it in Fall arrangements. The plant grows five to seven feet tall.