Days to Maturity: 45 to 50
These elegant, architectural plants put on a brilliant show of large, bicolor golden yellow blooms with a warm mahogany ring around a clean dark disk. The impressive flower heads on 'Helios Flame' Hybrid Sunflowers continue over a long season and last a long time in a vase. Just be sure to cut sunflowers in the early morning to encourage longer-lasting blooms.
Although a towering presence in the garden, this hardy annual is not too tall to add to the back of a bed or border in a cottage, informal, cutting, or wildlife garden. 'Helios Flame' Hybrid Sunflowers beckon to bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects, and the tasty seeds bring the birds flocking.
Sunflowers are fast-growing, tough plants, both heat tolerant and pest resistant. But consider planting with chives. The onion scent helps deter aphids.
The 'Helios Flame' Hybrid Sunflower Seeds are easy to direct sow. Just pick a sunny spot (6 to 8 hours of direct sun) with good drainage, preferably sheltered from the wind. Rake to a fine tilth, clearing stones and weeds, plant seeds ½ to 1 ½ inches deep, spaced 18 inches apart, and cover thoroughly with soil. Water regularly. To promote deep rooting, apply a light application of fertilizer at time of planting and water deeply but infrequently once the plant is established. And succession planting, sowing a new row of 'Helios Flame' Hybrid Sunflower Seeds every two to three weeks, will keep sunflowers coming right up to the first frost.
'Helios Flame' Hybrid Sunflower Seeds can also be started indoors and planted outdoors after the risk of frost has passed. If you plan to start your seeds indoors, be sure to check out our
Bio Dome Seed Starter Kit. With the Bio Dome, you can control the temperature, light, and soil mix to ensure your seeds become strong for transplant.
