Better make that really large posies – because this post is about a mix of Tiger's Eye sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) that made a big statement in my garden this year. I bet you'll want to grow them too.
Now I never grew sunflowers as a kid and I haven't had a lot of success with past planting efforts. The 6-8 foot plants that grew for me this year – with their tawny sunflower faces nodding in the breeze – were a true delight.
Sunflowers are an annual plant native to the Americas and today, many heirloom and hybrid varieties are available.
According to the online catalogue at Seeds of Change – a certified organic seed supplier in the US (and my source for Tiger's Eye) – "This mix offers a rare selection of intriguing sunflowers with bronze, gold, and maroon double-petaled centers with single petaled outer rays, and an occasional fully single or fully double individual."
These open pollinated plants are definitely easy to grow in a full sun location. They are best direct sown in a garden bed in early spring and germinate in 7-14 days. A plant spacing of 12-18 inches is recommended. I planted them at the back of a new potager bed in a very fine bark mulch. They found their way through to the light without trouble and the mulch kept them moderately moist, as recommended.
I have tried to discover the specific sunflower types that may be included in the Seeds of Change Tiger's Eye mix, without luck. The flowers ranged from bronze and red to brown and yellow; many were multicolored with a distinctive "eye", which gives them their name.
Photos tell the story best ...
Sunflowers are an annual plant native to the Americas and today, many heirloom and hybrid varieties are available.
According to the online catalogue at Seeds of Change – a certified organic seed supplier in the US (and my source for Tiger's Eye) – "This mix offers a rare selection of intriguing sunflowers with bronze, gold, and maroon double-petaled centers with single petaled outer rays, and an occasional fully single or fully double individual."
These open pollinated plants are definitely easy to grow in a full sun location. They are best direct sown in a garden bed in early spring and germinate in 7-14 days. A plant spacing of 12-18 inches is recommended. I planted them at the back of a new potager bed in a very fine bark mulch. They found their way through to the light without trouble and the mulch kept them moderately moist, as recommended.
I have tried to discover the specific sunflower types that may be included in the Seeds of Change Tiger's Eye mix, without luck. The flowers ranged from bronze and red to brown and yellow; many were multicolored with a distinctive "eye", which gives them their name.
Photos tell the story best ...
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Each plant produced many blooms; they were a sturdy, long-lasting cut flower.
Another discovery? The heads consist of many individual flowers which mature into seeds, often in the hundreds. The complex structure makes them interesting to photograph.
Another discovery? The heads consist of many individual flowers which mature into seeds, often in the hundreds. The complex structure makes them interesting to photograph.
Tiger's Eye sunflowers are plants that keep on giving, adding structural interest and excitement to the fall garden – at least as far as the chickadees and me are concerned!
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Photo credits:
Seeds of Change flower packet - MasterGardening.com
All other images - therebloomsagarden.com
Seeds of Change flower packet - MasterGardening.com
All other images - therebloomsagarden.com
