Top 10 Sunny Sunflower Varieties to Grow
Updated: Mar. 20, 2024
Discover a whole new selection of these radiant seed-bearing blooms with our top picks of pretty sunflower varieties.
Best Sunflower Varieties to Grow
I’ve never met a sunflower I didn’t like. They’re just so darn cheery and happy—no wonder they’re the go-to seed for kids to grow. If you share my love for these big beauties even a little bit, then it’s time to start branching out. Sure, the bright yellow blooms that produce seeds for the birds are classics, but there are so many more options on the market. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all those cultivars, though, so we’re here to help. Start with this list of some of our favorite sunflower varieties.
Enjoy these sunflower pictures that radiate beauty.
Best Double Bloomer: Giant Sungold
The Teddy Bear cultivar first made double-blooming sunflowers popular—and now you can find even more double sunflower varieties, including our top pick, Giant Sungold. This plant can easily top 6 feet, while the big puffy blooms grow up to 8 inches wide.
Runner-up: Golden Cheer—which works the shaggy, unkempt look in the best way possible—is a very close second.
Multicolored: Strawberry Blonde
You’ll do a double take when you see that the petals are rose-pink at the base, while the ends seem to have been dipped in yellow paint. Like most sunflower varieties, Strawberry Blonde grows best in a sunny spot with well-draining soil. This cultivar can grow more than 6 feet high.
Runner-up: Ring of Fire is like an edgier, darker version of Strawberry Blonde. It was also an All-American Selection Winner in 2001.
Backyard birds love black oil sunflower seeds.
Best Mammoth: Mammoth Russian
Burpee Home Gardens says if you want to enter a sunflower competition at a fair, this is the one to plant. Mammoth Russian grows a whopping 9 to 12 feet tall and produces large striped seeds.
Runner-up: Mammoth Grey Stripe grows 8 to 12 feet tall, with seedheads that are a foot across. Start your seeds early, because they need about 110 days to bloom fully.
Did you know: Tomatoes make great sunflower companion plants.
Best Light Bloomer: Italian White
You won’t find a more gorgeous or reliable light bloomer. Italian White has a top-notch reputation for dependable 4-inch white blooms with chocolate centers. The plants reach 5 to 7 feet and are known for producing lots of flowers over the course of the season.
Runner-up: Coconut Ice is a newer variety, with petals starting out creamy and then gradually getting lighter and brighter.
Learn how to choose sunflower seeds for birds.
Dwarf Variety: Little Becka
Whether you lack space or just like smaller plants, this one should be on your list. At just 3 feet tall, Little Becka packs a big punch, with lots of 6-inch flowers in a unique color sequence: from gold to crimson and then back to gold again.
Runner-up: Want to go even smaller? Sunny Smile will reach only 12 to 15 inches in height, making it perfect for containers and patios.
Grow Mexican sunflower in pollinator gardens.
Best Dark Bloomer: Moulin Rouge
Do you like dark, bold sunflowers? This one delivers. You can find other red variations, but Moulin Rouge is the most reliable of the bunch. It grows to about 4 feet tall.
Runner-up: With slightly darker, richer hues than Moulin Rouge, Chocolate Cherry is another strong choice and the name says it all.
Award Winner: Soraya
In 2000, the Soraya cultivar made history when it became the first sunflower chosen as an All-America Selections winner. It boasts stunning blooms on sturdy stems, so you don’t have to worry about them falling over. It grows up to 6 feet tall and is a pretty cut flower as well.
Runner-up: Another All-America Selections winner, Suntastic, can get up to 20 blooms on a single plant.
Best for Pollinators: Lemon Queen
Go online right now to greatsunflower.org and check out the Great Sunflower Project. This group counts pollinators visiting plants, which helps with conservation and plant science. Joining up requires you to plant the No. 1 pollinator around, the Lemon Queen sunflower. We hope you’ll sign up to help with the project, but even if you don’t, please plant Lemon Queen to support the bee population. As you may have read, bees urgently need our help to survive and keep pollinating plants.
Runner-up: Take your pick! Most sunflowers are good for bees, as long as you remember not to pick a pollen-free variety.
Best Sunflower to Eat: Super Snack Mix
Growing sunflowers mostly for seed, either for the birds or to munch on yourself? The name says it all for this cultivar. Its originators claim to offer the largest seeds around—and they’re easy to crack, too. Super Snack Mix is a classic sunflower that grows up to 6 feet and will also attract bees and butterflies.
Runner-up: Royal Hybrid is also known for its prolific seed. Remember to let the seedheads dry completely before harvesting.
Best Cut Flower: Taiyo Sunflower
You know those perfect-looking sunflowers you see at grocery stores and flower shops? Chances are they’re Taiyos, but you can grow your own cut flowers instead of buying them. These Japanese heirlooms grow 5 to 6 feet tall and have large flower heads with huge centers.
Runner-up: Look for any pollen-free flower to grow for bouquets: It won’t make a mess when you bring it indoors (though keep in mind, as mentioned above, that it won’t benefit bees, either).
Originally Published: May 03, 2022
