Sunflowers

If you visited the Floriculture Open Class exhibit at the Erie County Fair, you would have only seen two sunflowers, one in the under 3 inch category and one in the over 3. The fair was a week early for these beautiful flowers. But they are blooming now and a wonderful sight to behold. Sunflowers, scientific name Helianthus, are native to North America. The scientific name comes from the Greek "helios" meaning sun and "anthos" flower. This name comes from the plants' habit of turning to face the sun. The Helianthus flower is distinctive: rays of yellow circle a large center disk. Some of these flowers can be quite large – up to twelve inches in diameter. The flower stalks can grow up to 15 feet tall in an upright manner. Modern cultivars also include some with rays of red, light yellow or white, or bicolor. Dwarf varieties only growing 1 to 3 feet tall with smaller flowers are fun to grow in smaller gardens. There are sunflowers that are native to Ohio, but the species grown for birdseed and sunflower oil is not one of them. This species Helianthus annuus (annual) is native to the western United States and Central America. It is grown by seed, either planted or voluntary especially near the birdfeeder. Seeds are available in packets in box stores or nurseries. Helianthus annuus is easy to grow but needs plenty of room. Seeds should be planted after all danger of frost in well-drained soil. For the large variety, plants should be spaced in rows 2 to 3 feet apart with seeds every 6 inches thinned to twelve inches. If volunteers come up if your garden, usually from a birdfeeder, they will need a lot of room. All the young plants will need water. The sunflowers can be harvested for seed. Once the back of the seedhead turns brown, the flowers may be cut off and placed somewhere to dry. Then the seeds may be removed. If the seedheads are left on the plant, birds will eat them. Or the cut off seedhead may be left where the birds will feed. Sunflowers do have some problems. First the young plants make a tasty treat for the deer and may need some protection. The plants are subject to rust, leaf fungal spots, and powdery mildew. The plants also may need to be staked if exposed to an area of strong wind. Native Ohio sunflowers are not annuals, but perennials. The Ohio Prairie Association lists 7: Helianthus giganteus, H grosseserratus, H. hirsutis, H maximiliani, H. mollis, H. occidentalis, and H. strumosus. These plants often have smaller flowers growing on tall stems. Prairie plants will grow from seed that has been stratified; that is, left in the cold outside or in a refrigerator over the winter. Helianthus giganteus is an example. Once the plants have been started, they may self-seed in the garden. The plants may also spread by rhizomes under ground. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center also mentions that this plant, while beneficial for birds and insects has toxicity in the stems and leaves that can irritate human skin and be fatal to animals if ingested. Another example of a native sunflower, Helianthus mollis, ashy sunflower, is listed by Missouri Botanical Gardens as easy to grow. It produces seed that is valuable for birds in winter. But it can also spread in broad clumps that are hard to control. There are specialized nurseries where native plant seeds may be purchased. Erie County Master Gardeners are also working with John Blakeman of the Ohio Prairie Association to collect seed from local prairies for Erie County residents. As for me, I would like to plant some of the smaller cultivars of Helianthus annuus. These have names like Double Dandy, Firecracker, Elf, Little Becka. Some grow to 2 feet but take some width. They can also be grown in pots. Maybe next year.