Common Sunflower
(Cut-and-Come-Again, Mirasol)
Helianthus annuus. ASTERACEAE (COMPOSITAE).
Planting and Growing Common Sunflower
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow common sunflower in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, and root structure of common sunflower
- Plant hardiness and growing conditions for common sunflower
- Season of bloom and planting time for common sunflower
- When, how deep, and where to plant common sunflower
- How to plant common sunflower
- Watering, fertilizing, care, and pests or diseases of common sunflower
- Landscape and container uses of common sunflower
- Comments about common sunflower and its features
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Growing Common Sunflower
Many cultivars of upright, narrow, ornamental annual herbs, to 10 ft. (3 m) tall. Alternate or opposite, coarse-textured, yellow green, oval, usually coarsely toothed leaves, to 1 ft. (30 cm) long.
Common cultivars include Helianthus annuus ‘Giganteus’, ‘Italian White’, ‘Moonshadow’, ‘Sunbright, and ‘Sunburst’.
See also perennial Sunflower, Helianthus species, several closely related ornamental perennial species, and seed-and-oil-producing Sunflower, Helianthus annuus, the edible sunflower cultivars typically grown by vegetable gardeners. All cultivars and hybrids within the Helianthus species have similar care needs.
Planting and Care Guide
Blooms
Single or double, orange yellow, round flowers, 6–12 in. (15–30 cm) wide, with dark centers, either solitary or in clusters, in summer–autumn, form edible seed.
Best Climates
Self-seeding, zones 4–9.
Soil Type and Fertility
Moist, well-drained soil. Fertility: Average. 5.0–7.0 pH.
Where and How to Plant
Spring in full sun to partial shade, 18–36 in. (45–90 cm) apart, after soil warms.
Proper Care
Easy. Keep moist. Fertilize every 2 months. Stake tallest cultivars. Propagate by seed.
About This Plant
Good choice for borders, fencelines, massed plantings. Attracts birds, butterflies. Good for cutting, seed. Stalk borer, sunflower maggot, sunflower moth larva and powdery mildew, rust susceptible.