Nothing ever screams summer than sunflowers.
Yes, you read that right.
There are different types of sunflowers.
As a matter of fact, there are 100 species of the flower scattered all over the world.
As such, here are some of the sunflower symbolisms out there.
In Greek mythology, sunflowers are connected to the love and betrayal of the sun god Apollo.
He cheated on a girl for a princess.
But in most meaning associations, it is connected to many symbolisms focused on the sun.
They are given as3rd anniversary giftsin all of China.
For the native Americans, it symbolizes bounty and provision.
In religious symbolism, it is connected to spiritual enlightenment, truth, and light.
Most importantly,they are the ultimate symbol of hope and peace.
In 1996, it was chosen by the worlds summit to represent a nuclear-free world.
So, be it for beautification or fresh flower cuts, here are 25 types of sunflowers for you.
Tall sunflowers
The ones featured in this category grow to at least 12ft and above.
Most of them are hybrids but there are also native species.
If you want good border and accent plants, these should be a priority.
1.Shweinitzs sunflower(Helianthus schweinitzii)
This is considered as one of the rarest American sunflower species.
It grows to up to 16ft.
Their blooms are bright yellow but are slightly smaller than traditional sunflowers.
They are identifiable for their daisy looking centers and petals.
They have thick, trunk-like stems.
As such, it makes a good windbreaker for a corner landscape.
It also has a huge center that looks like an embossed cushion.
Its durable stalks are also made for harsh climates.
6.Heirloom Titan Giant Sunflowers
This one has a consistent growth of up to 14ft.
They have the traditional sunflower yellow flowers, with durable stalks, seed-packed centers.
7.California Greystripe
This is a favorite flower for many birds and bees.
It has thick stems, and easily becomes a beautiful focal point in any garden.
8.Sunny smilesunflower
This one blooms the entire summer and grows to only 2.5ft tall.
9.Suntastic yellowsunflower
The Suntastic tends to bloom at least 5-8 flower heads in one stem.
They are identifiable for their bright, yellow petals and dark, almost black centers.
The dark center is slightly embossed out and it grows to just 1.5ft.
10.Little Beckasunflower
This is another 1-2ft sunflower known for its red halo effect around the petals.
By mid-summer, the halo shall overpower the yellow, giving you bright orange sunflower petals.
They are perfect for compact landscapes and raised planters.
They are pollenless sunflowers.
11.Pacinosunflower (Helianthus annuus PacinoCola)
Like the Suntastic, this one also blooms in packs.
There are 4-10 flower heads in one sturdy stem, growing from 12-16-inches.
12.Sundance Kidsunflower
It is one of the earliest if not the earliest breed of dwarf sunflowers.
13.Teddy Bear sunflower
This one is known for its fluffy petals, hence the teddy bear name.
It only grows at 2ft tall, pollenless and known for its profuse flowering.
It is perfect as container plants and grows at 20-30cm in width.
When it blooms, it produces golden yellow and orange sunflowers with prominent dark brown centers.
The flowers are bright yellow in color and good as border and container plants.
They are flashy, grow diversely in different heights and bloom with different tones.
Earthwalkersunflower
It is called as such because of the splash of earth tones on its huge flower head.
It grows to up to 9ft, producing several flowers per summer bloom.
It has petals that are like daisies, with red, mahogany brown, and rust orange petals.
It has an embossed center of dark chocolate and yellow tiny sprinkles scattered on it.
17.Terracottasunflower
It is one of the most distinguishable and very beautiful colored sunflowers out there.
It grows to 5ft and makes a good visual display during fall.
It has a unique, red wine pigment and is considered as one of the most deeply hued sunflowers.
It is pollenless, with a beautiful dark brown center and grows at 6ft.
19.Moulin Rougesunflower
It is one of the most exotic looking sunflowers out there.
It has a consistent hue of burgundy red that does not fade even under constant exposure to the sun.
It is a sought-after flower cut used for bouquets and vases.
It grows up to 4ft.
While there is no natural black sunflower, this is the closest thing that you could get to black.
Its petals are velvety, grow to 4ft, and pollenless.
They are perfect for Halloween decorations and special bouquet arrangements.
21.Strawberry Blondesunflower
Like the Little Becka, this one also has a halo.
The dark brown center of this flower makes a beautiful contrast.
Each stem produces multiple flower stalks and grows to just 5ft.
It is pollenless, fast growing (reaching maturity at just 60 days).
It gets its name for its lime-colored central disc and lemon yellow petals.
It is a hybrid, growing to 6ft.
It has the colors of fall: dark yellow, plush red, rust orange with sunny yellow corners.
It provides a good contrast and warm glow to bright colored flowers in your landscape.
It grows to 6ft, with soft, ruby red and rusty orange petals with bright yellow tips.
It is pollenless and is just a landscape stunner.
FAQs on sunflowers
Are purple black sunflowers real?
Yes, and there are at least 50 species of them.
These species belong to the genus Helianthus.
The sunflowers included in this would be the Ruby Eclipse, Chocolate Gold, Claret and Chianti.
Is it normal for sunflowers to fade into purple?
How long do sunflowers bloom?
They usually bloom for two weeks straight, starting from early summer.
Some species, however, could bloom longer, extending to fall and up to early winter.
But the whole plant can last for a couple of months and with minimum care requirements.
What to do with sunflowers after they die?
When the sunflowers turn brown and die out, it is the signal for harvesting the seeds.
One indicator would be plumper seeds coming out of the center.
Prune it with scissors, place its central disc down to a container to catch all the seeds.
Why are my sunflower heads empty?
There are varying reasons.
One would be that the species you have is pollenless.
Other reasons would be lack of pollination due to pests.
What are the rarest sunflower species?
Because sunflowers are easy to take care of, you would find seeds and seedlings in your local nurseries.
Indeed, it is a well-loved flower and for all good reasons.
