There are at least 70 different varieties of sunflowers in the world. Every year new varieties are added through breeding. Even though yellow is the classic sunflower color, you can also set great accents in the garden with orange, red or multi-colored flowers.
How many varieties of sunflowers are there?
There are at least 70 different varieties of sunflowers, varying in colors such as yellow, orange, red or multicolored. Popular annual varieties include Tiffany, Inara Orange, Pro Cut Bicolor, King Kong and Teddy Bear. Perennial varieties are often hardy and edible.
Annual or perennial
Most sunflower varieties are annuals. They are used up when the flowers have bloomed. These varieties are not hardy and have to be sown again and again.
Perennial sunflowers are often hardy. They are perennials whose tubers, like Jerusalem artichokes, are even edible.
Plant tall or short varieties?
You need a lot of space in the garden for tall varieties. If you have limited space, prefer smaller varieties. This also applies if you want to grow sunflowers in pots.
A small selection of annual sunflower varieties
| Name | Height | single/multi-stemmed | Flower color | flower size | Special features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiffany | up to 160 cm | single-stemmed | golden yellow | 12 to 15 cm | pollen-free |
| Inara Orange | up to 160 cm | single-stemmed | yellow-orange | 12 to 18 cm | pollen-free |
| Pro Cut Bicolor | up to 150 cm | single-stemmed | yellow-orange | 12 to 15 cm | pollen-free |
| King Kong | up to 450 cm | multi-stemmed | yellow | up to 40 cm | Giant Sunflower |
| Miss Mars | 50 to 70 cm | multi-stemmed | burgundy | up to 15 cm | for buckets |
| Terracotta | up to 180 cm | multi-stemmed | dark orange | 12 to 15 cm | pollen-free |
| Evening sun | up to 200 cm | multi-stemmed | redorange | up to 20 cm | long bloom |
| American Giant | up to 500 cm | single-stemmed | yellow with brown eyes | up to 50 cm | |
| Titan | up to 500 cm | single-stemmed | yellow with dark yellow eye | up to 50 cm | |
| Teddy bear | 30 to 40 cm | multi-stemmed | yellow filled | 12 to 15 cm | pollen-free |
| Sunny Smile | 30 to 40 cm | multi-stemmed | yellow with brown eyes | 12 to 15 cm | pollen-free |
| Helianthus debilis / Vanilla Ice | up to 150 cm | multi-stemmed | light yellow | up to 8 cm | good for drying |
Multi-stemmed varieties and perennials bloom more abundantly if you cut off spent flowers.
Tips & Tricks
If you want to harvest lots of seeds for bird food or personal use in the kitchen, you should plant large, single-stemmed varieties. These form more seeds than smaller varieties with many flowers.