Illustration
Photo credits and licenses
Real photographs from naturalists and photographers worldwide, each used under its own license. Credit: Photo by Michelle W. （鍾偉瑋） / iNaturalist (CC BY) and Photo by Michelle W. （鍾偉瑋） / iNaturalist (CC BY). How photos are sourced →
Sunflower
Helianthus annuus
Sunflower blooms from July through September.
Months here are Northern Hemisphere months; in the Southern Hemisphere, shift them by six months.
Growing Sunflower
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. Expect it to reach about 6.5 ft tall and 1.5 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 1 year (not yet checked).
No toxicity note is on file for Sunflower. That is not a clearance: check its safety for people and pets before planting.
What was checked
Mature height and spread, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not, and each fact above says which. The planting, spacing and size sections are derived from these checked facts by a fixed rule, not checked separately, and the plant type is the library's own classification.
When to plant Sunflower
Wait until all danger of frost has passed, then plant out Sunflower into warm soil; in most zones that means late spring. Planted then, it flowers from July to September.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar. Derived from the plant's category, zones and bloom months plus typical zone frost dates, not checked separately.
How big does Sunflower get?
6.5 fttall5 ft 7 inan adult1.5 ftwideSee Sunflower in a garden plan: the planner shows it in 3D beside everything else you add, growing toward this size over the years.
How far apart to plant Sunflower
Derived from the mature spread above by a fixed rule, not checked separately: spacing is the spread, center to center.
Space Sunflower about 1.5 ft apart, center to center, so each plant has room to reach its full width.
Add Sunflower to a garden plan and the planner draws it at its full width, so you see the spacing before you buy.
Where these facts come from
Sunflower's height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags were checked against 11 published sources on July 29, 2026. Each one is linked below with every fact it carried, which can include a fact this page still marks as not yet checked, because a source carrying a value is not the same as the value being held to the standard. Facts not in that list, and the planting, spacing and size sections, are not covered by these sources.
- Missouri Botanical GardenPlant Finderheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- greatbasinseeds.comGreat Basin Seedsheight, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- NC State ExtensionPlant Toolboxheight, spread, sun and trait tags
- Outsideprideheight, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- RHSRoyal Horticultural Societyheight, spread, sun and trait tags
- Clemson Home and Garden Information CenterClemson Cooperative Extension HGICheight, sun and trait tags
- edenbrothers.comEden Brothersheight, hardiness zones and sun
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Centerheight and sun
- University of Florida IFASGardening Solutionsheight and sun
- University of Illinois Extensionheight
- University of Minnesota Extensionsun
How the checking works, and what each standard covers, is on the verified plants page.
Comes in 11 varieties across 5 colors
Same plant, same care - pick the color you are growing.
- Autumn Beauty
- Italian White
- Lemon Queen
- Mammoth
- Moulin Rouge
- Ring of Fire
- Soraya
- Strawberry Blonde
- Teddy Bear
- Vanilla Ice
- Velvet Queen
Compare every variety in the Sunflower group
Every figure is the variety's own page fact. Tap a name to open it.
| Variety | Color | Blooms | Hardiness | Sun | Size (H × W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn Beauty | Orange | Jul–Sep | Annual (replant yearly) | Full sun | 6 ft × 1.5 ft |
| Italian White | White | Jul–Sep | Annual (replant yearly) | Full sun | 5 ft × 1.5 ft |
| Lemon Queen | Yellow | Jul–Sep | Annual (replant yearly) | Full sun | 6 ft × 2 ft |
| Mammoth | Yellow | Jul–Sep | Annual (replant yearly) | Full sun | 10 ft × 2 ft |
| Moulin Rouge | Red | Jul–Sep | Annual (replant yearly) | Full sun | 5 ft × 1.5 ft |
| Ring of Fire | Red | Jul–Sep | Annual (replant yearly) | Full sun | 4.5 ft × 1.5 ft |
| Soraya | Orange | Jul–Sep | Annual (replant yearly) | Full sun | 5 ft × 1.5 ft |
| Strawberry Blonde | Pink | Jul–Sep | Annual (replant yearly) | Full sun | 5 ft × 1.5 ft |
| Sunflowerthis page | Yellow | Jul–Sep | Annual (replant yearly) | Full sun | 6.5 ft × 1.5 ft |
| Teddy Bear | Yellow | Jul–Sep | Annual (replant yearly) | Full sun | 24 in × 16 in |
| Vanilla Ice | Yellow | Jul–Sep | Annual (replant yearly) | Full sun | 4.5 ft × 1.5 ft |
| Velvet Queen | Red | Jul–Sep | Annual (replant yearly) | Full sun | 6 ft × 1.5 ft |
Good to know about Sunflower
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note. A note reports what its source says; where that differs from a fact above, the fact above is this entry's stored value, and its mark says whether it has been checked.
Worth knowing
The plant is named for following the sun, but that is only half true: young buds track it east to west, while mature open heads settle facing east. per NC State
Pollen-free strains feed bees less
Pollinator value depends on the cultivar: pollen-free florist strains, bred so pollen will not stain, give bees far less forage. Pick pollen-bearing types for pollinators. per University of Illinois and Frontiers
Stake giants; pinch branching types
Single-stem giants are top-heavy: stake them early while the stem is still flexible, and never pinch them, since they carry one bloom. Pinch only branching cut-flower types. per NC State and University of Illinois
Seed heads: feed or harvest
The oil-rich seed heads are a top food for finches, birds and squirrels. Leave standing heads into winter to feed them, or net heads to save a seed harvest. per NC State
Self-seeds and can spread
It self-seeds readily from dropped seed and volunteers in open ground; NC State cautions it can become weedy if you let it reseed. per NC State
What pairs well with Sunflower
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Chives
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in late spring, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; low at 12 in, to carpet the ground beneath.
Tulip Tree
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in late spring, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; both are North American natives.
English Daisy
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; low at 6 in, to carpet the ground beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Pansy
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; low at 8 in, to carpet the ground beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Common Comfrey
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in late spring, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; lower at 2.5 ft, for the front of the border.
Lupine
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in late spring, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; lower at 3 ft, for the front of the border.
Hyacinth
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; low at 10 in, to carpet the ground beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Autumn Crocus
Shares full sun and moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; low at 6 in, to carpet the ground beneath; both offer pollinator forage.
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Design a garden with this
Drop this plant onto a 3D plan, see how it fills in, and watch your whole garden bloom across the year.