The sunflower is a favorite for autumn, and comes in dozens of delightful shapes and colors. Here are some lovely fall sunflowers.
7 Beautiful Fall Sunflowers for Your Garden
Sunflowers are instantly recognizable. The contrast of their bright yellow petals with their dark center, as well as their astounding height, make them a perennial garden favorite.
They’re also pretty easy to care for and grow from seed. Just make sure they get plenty of sunshine and water. “This is especially important if you intend to grow them in pots because they can dry out quickly during hot summer days,” says gardening expert Annette Hird. “You can start the seeds indoors. It’s a good idea to just put one seed into each peat pot so that you can then plant these out without disturbing the taproot.”
But did you know that fall sunflowers come in more than 150 varieties? This autumn, think beyond the yellow giant and try one of these seven distinctive sunflower varieties for some extra garden flair. Your garden will stand out and you’ll be the talk of the neighborhood.
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Evening Sun
Add some rich burgundy to your garden’s color palette with this giant sunflower. These beautiful fall sunflowers feature blooms that range from gold to crimson and everything in between. This ombre beauty will grow six to eight feet tall, adding artful majesty to any garden.
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Golden Bear
If you’re a fan of zinnias or dahlias, this is one of the best fall sunflowers for you. It yields whimsical blossoms with thousands of tiny petals that make each tall, yellow flower look like something out of a Dr. Seuss book.
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Helios Flame
A fiery delight, helios flame sunflowers are beloved for their dramatic additions to bouquets. With graphic scarlet and yellow on each bloom, they’re perfect for cut flower gardeners prepping their autumn arrangements. They will only grow up to four feet tall.
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Italian White
For dainty blooms, turn to the Italian White sunflower. The flower heads are just four inches in diameter and a subtle butter yellow color. The plants will grow up to seven feet tall, but they can still easily be used as cut flowers. Better yet, they’ll attract plenty of pollinators to your garden!
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Moulin Rouge
The Moulin Rouge sunflower lives up to its name with a deep, rich red tone. Their lightly yellow centers beautifully accent the scarlet petals, and they grow up to a dramatic eight feet tall. Fortunately, that stunning red color won’t fade in full sunlight.
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Starburst Aura
Have you ever wished you could grow a sea anemone on land? If so, the Starburst Aura is for you. Like the Golden Bear, it has thousands of dense petals. However, as the name suggests, the Starburst Aura grows out in a starburst shape with shaggy petals reminiscent of feathers. If you want a truly special sunflower, opt for this two-foot stunner!
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Sunrich Lime
The Sunrich Lime sunflower features a green-and-gold center, as opposed to the typical brown. Additionally, its six-inch blooms mature in just 60 days, making it a quick, gratifying plant. The Sunrich Lime will grow up to five feet tall, so you can still get that classic sunflower height in a new color palette.
FAQs
How do I know which sunflower varieties will do well in my yard?
Most sunflowers will do well as long as you provide the essentials. “All sunflowers need is a sunny spot, fertile soil, and regular water,” says Hird. Single-stem sunflowers are known to be easy to grow for beginners because they are fast-growing, don’t drop pollen and are less allergenic than other varieties.
What are the most affordable sunflower varieties?
A packet of sunflower seeds will only cost you a few dollars for most varieties. Popular seed and garden supply store, Burpee, have packets of sunflower seeds ranging from about $4 to $10 with 50 to 200 seeds per packet. A packet of 50 Crème Brulée sunflower seeds is $6.95, while a packet of 200 Mammoth sunflower seeds is priced at $5.45.
About the Exert
- Annette Hird is the owner and author of Easy Urban Gardens. Hird has an Associate Diploma in Horticulture and is an urban gardening expert. She has worked as a professional propagator and managed, maintained and improved many urban and rural gardens.
