While I can’t be sure these are technically sunflowers, they look like sunflowers, they have seeds that look like sunflowers so, for today, let’s assume they’re sunflowers. The two larger varieties came from seeds, along with various twigs, bark and other unknown items, that were an off brand bag of potting soil. I had no idea what the seeds were but I was curious enough to plant them. They were coated in potting soil and I really didn’t investigate . . just figured I would plant them and see what came up. Some of the seeds actually sprouted inside the bag of soil once I opened it.
The smaller flowers came from artichoke seeds. I had read that artichoke seeds don’t always come up “true” and I had no idea what that meant. I guess it means you might get an artichoke or you might get something else . . I got some type sunflower. I planted about 20 artichoke seeds and only 2 were these flowers. The rest were artichokes.
Sunflower
The largest flower is HUGE! The stalk is about 10′ or taller. The flower head is the size of a dinner plate or larger. The stalk is quite thick but each plant only produced one flower head. Maybe if I had fertilized it or taken better care of it, it might have done better.
Sunflowers
The one that produced a medium flower is my favorite. Lots of flowers, not gigantic but and dominating like the huge one, but plenty big – way over my head.
Sunflowers
The one that produces the smaller flower is plenty pretty but just not real impressive. It’s tall, but more spindly.
None of them got much TLC so they might have done a lot better if they had better care.
I want to save enough seeds to plant more. I’d love to have them along a fence line or even in a food plot for the turkeys next year.
Some of the flower heads that were beginning to dry out were cut.
Sunflowers
I tied them up in cheesecloth. Not sure that will be enough to deter birds if they find them but we’ll see.
Sunflowers
For now, they’re hanging on the clothesline.
Sunflowers
See how beautiful Texas can be when we’ve had rain! All the weeds are growing, the sky is blue, there are little chicken coops everywhere! 🙂
Thees seeds should probably be moved under the porch in case it rains . . slim chance, but you never know.
I’m hoping I’ll have lots of sunflowers next year . . just from nuisance seeds!
Sherrill says
Don’t those big giant ones only make one head/flower? I don’t think it could support anymore than that! And it creates the sunflowers seeds that the birds LOVE I think. I think those are so cool!!
Erin says
Wow that is one huge sunflower! U are magic! Great to see nature showing off too! Stunning!
Dorothy Matheson says
The third one is a common weed sunflower that comes up along the road side and in empty fields. Have a huge field of them around the corner from me this year.
I too like the middle sized ones. Yours is a really beautiful plant. I would leave the seed heads on the plant till the plant totally drys up. At least all the green out of the head itself.
Dorothy
Jeanette says
Have you red about Jerusalem artichokes? You eat the tubers and the plant looks a lot like at least one of your orphan sunflowers.
Diana G says
How pretty they all are There is a farmer at the market who has all colors of Sunflowers and they are just gorgeous.
Helene says
Sunflowers along a fence line – that sounds absolutely beautiful! I’m sure you can manage to do that in your spare time. Wait – do you have any spare time???