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A sunflower 'flower' is actually a head of hundreds of tiny florets, and young buds track the sun across the sky each day — a movement called heliotropism.
Helianthus annuus
Iconic annual grown for flowers, seeds, or both. Heads track the sun while developing, then face east when mature. Direct-sow after last frost. Birds love the seeds — beat them to it by bagging the head as it ripens.
Did you know?
A sunflower 'flower' is actually a head of hundreds of tiny florets, and young buds track the sun across the sky each day — a movement called heliotropism.
Cosmos bipinnatus
flower
A fellow Asteraceae — similar growing habits to Sunflower
Tagetes patula
flowerAttracts the same hoverflies as Sunflower, keeping pests in check
Attract to keep them in check.Direct-sow Sunflower outdoors about 1 weeks after your last frost. Seeds usually come up in around 10 days. Grow in full sun, spaced about 45 cm apart. Expect the first blooms in roughly 80 days.
Syrphidae
The adults only drink nectar. It is the larvae that eat the aphids.
Water: Medium · Height: 250 cm · Soil: Well-draining loamy soil with moderate fertility. pH 6.0-7.5. Tolerates poor soil but prefers not waterlogged conditions.
Sunflower seed rarely stays viable beyond 4 years — track what's still worth sowing.
