IF you’re looking for a cheery shot of summer colour, annual sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) take some beating. They’re also easy to grow from seed, which makes the very tall, single-stemmed varieties such as ‘Russian Giant’ and ‘Kong’ – with their huge flower heads in sunshine yellow – firm favourites with children aiming to grow a record-breaker. But there’s a lot more to this plant than cultivating giants.
You can get dwarf sunflowers (perfect for container growing or planting at the front of a border), mid-height types that look good mixed in among perennials, and taller varieties that are ideal for the back of a border.
While classic sunflowers have a single ring of bright-yellow petals around a central disc, there are a surprising number of different flower types, too, from semi-doubles with a few extra layers of petals to doubles with huge, frilly blooms. And when it comes to colours, it’s not all yellow. Options range from dark reds, rusty oranges and pale yellows to creamy white, either singly or in vibrant two-tone mixes.
