24 Types of Sunflowers to Grow for a Brighter, Happier Garden
Perk up your yard with these cheerful blooms.
Growing sunflowers in your garden is one of the easiest and most satisfying ways to add some sunshine to your outdoor space. This iconic, versatile plant is known for its big, bright blooms and impressive height, with some varieties exceeding 10 feet tall! Sunflowers are a favorite among pollinators, and since many of these buds have edible seeds, rodents love them, too! (To protect your seedlings from hungry visitors, simply create a cage of chicken wire and harvest them when the heads droop forward, the petals drop, and the seeds look plump.)
While the classic iteration has long, yellow petals and rich brown centers, sunflowers actually come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. There's a type of sunflower for every kind of garden, whether you’re looking for small garden ideas or hoping to fill a big backyard space. While the taller varieties are beautiful enhancements to borders, dwarf versions are perfect for potted arrangements and garden beds. Many sunflowers, especially those with multiple branches, also make gorgeous additions to long-lasting bouquets. Whatever type of sunflower you go with, be sure to give them at least six hour of direct sunlight!
Find more fabulous flower ideas for your summer garden:
Sunny Smile Sunflower
Sunny Smile sunflowers are a sun-loving dwarf variety that can reach up to two feet tall. With bright yellow petals and big, bold centers, this type of sunflower will add a cheerful pop of color to smaller lawns, back patios, and container gardens.
Claret Sunflower
If you’re looking to branch out from the classic yellow varieties, consider planting Claret sunflowers, known for their show-stopping petals in a deep reddish-brown hue. These sunflower types are fast growers that bloom 80 to 100 days after planting. They thrive in full sun, making them the perfect addition to backyard borders.
Autumn Beauty Sunflower
Another uniquely colorful option is the Autumn Beauty sunflower. Like the name promises, this sunflower variety spotlights rich fall colors of gold, maroon, and orange, so it’ll bring a decorative touch to your yard. This type’s moniker also comes from its late-summer or early fall growing period. They reach up to six feet tall, and they’re pollinator-friendly.
Moulin Rouge Sunflower
With burgundy-hued petals and a matte finish, Moulin Rouge sunflowers are full of drama. Since they’re single-stemmed plants, they’re great blooms to cut and add in floral arrangements. However, keep in mind that they need to be planted at least six inches apart.
Mammoth Sunflower
Like the prehistoric wooly animal of the same name, Mammoth sunflowers are named for their large size, growing up to 12 feet tall with flowers that are 10 inches wide. This sunflower is one of the most iconic of the bunch due to its show-stopping size and effortless ability to grow.
Ring of Fire Sunflower
Aptly named for the ring of fire red around the chocolate brown center of this golden flower, the Ring of Fire sunflower is one of the most unique and head-turning flowers on this list. This sensational sunflower can reach 4 to 5 feet tall and, thanks to its long flower stems, is perfect for cut flowers. It was a former All-America Selection winner for its fiery blooms.
Teddy Bear Sunflower
With its signature fluffy petals, the Teddy Bear sunflower is very aptly named! These plush golden blooms grow up to two feet tall anywhere from 60 to 75 days after planting them, and they’re a pretty supplement to well-lit borders or containers. This type of sunflower is also easy to grow and super durable.
Maximilian Perennial Sunflower
Unlike many of the sunflowers on this list, Maximilian is perennial in zones 3 to 9 and comes back from its roots year after year. The showy sunflower features multiple smaller flowers on each stem, creating a beautiful, long-lasting display in gardens and landscapes. They're also desirable to pollinators and wildlife, making them a popular choice for large perennial and wildflower gardens.
Soraya Sunflower
This eye-catching sunflower is renowned for its large golden-orange blossoms with chocolate-brown centers. Soraya sunflowers were the very first to receive the prestigious All-America Selections award, recognized for their exceptional performance in home gardens. It's a great choice for the back of borders but is also one of the best for cutting due to its multiple branches with up to 25 stems per plant.
Tithonia Fiesta del Sol
This vibrant orange Mexican sunflower variety thrives in heat and humidity. They’re drought-tolerant and deer-resistant, but they love butterflies and hummingbirds. As dwarf sunflowers, they grow up to three feet tall and three inches wide, which makes them a manageable garden flower.
Florenza
This stunning type of sunflower is painted in striking shades that includes chocolate-brown middles, rusty red centers, and sunny yellow tips. They reach 15 to 30 inches tall, and they exude a mild cocoa-like scent.
Starburst Greenburst
This handsome sunflower grows from 12 to 24 inches tall and has pretty yellow petals with green centers. It's a great cutting flower.
Procut Red
This is one of the prettiest red sunflowers you can grow. It blooms a bit earlier than other sunflowers, at around 50 to 60 days.
Bambino
Small garden? This little guy tops out at 16 inches tall, so you can enjoy the beauty of sunflowers even if you have a more compact garden.
Del Sol Sunflower
This sunflower has the classic golden petals and chocolate brown center, but it's a hybrid type—so it won't shed on tabletops. Best of all? Del Sol is a fast grower, which means you can cut and enjoy in vases just 50 days after planting.
Buttercream Sunflower
Buttery yellow petals with a gorgeous dark brown center make this sunflower a lovely addition to any garden. Buttercream typically grow to about 4 feet tall with tons of side branches that make this variety a great cut flower.
Crimson Blaze Sunflower
This stunning sunflower has incredible, deeply saturated two-tone petals with a dark center. Crimson blaze reaches 5 to 6 feet tall and has plenty of branches for fresh-cut flowers all season. They're also loved by pollinators!
Chocolate Sunflower
Who doesn't like chocolate? The rich brown tones make this sunflower a great option to mix it up in the garden. Chocolate sunflowers grow to about 5 feet tall, and bees love them!
Sunray Yellow Sunflower
This adorable dwarf variety sports tons of flower power, but it tops out at just two feet tall. Sunray yellow sunflowers are a natural for pots and containers.
Strawberry Blonde Sunflower
Burgundy and pink petals make Strawberry Blonde a charming cut flower. Each plant produces one bloom, so plant lots of seeds for a longer show.
Arricca Elin SanSone is a writer, editor, and content creator who specializes in lifestyle and gardening. With a background in health reporting, she applies these same research skills when writing about the science of growing things. She trials new plants in her expansive garden, and her houseplant collection consists of 60+ varieties. Arricca has written thousands of articles for publications such as Country Living, House Beautiful, Good Housekeeping, Prevention, VERANDA, Southern Living, and more. She’s happiest when digging in the dirt, baking, or spending time with the people and dogs she loves.
5 Easy Tricks to Keep Dahlias Blooming Until Frost
7 Gardening Tasks to Tackle Before the Summer Ends
22 Fall Landscape Ideas for Curb Appeal
Welcome Fall with a Wreath on Your Front Door
