Sunflower: Sunbright

Credit: Sakata Seed America, Inc.

Enhancing ‘Sunbright’‘s attractiveness in the vase is its strong stem and neck and rounded petals.

This pollen-less variety with golden yellow petals and brown centre florets grows to between 90 and 180 centimetres tall. Sunflowers do best in relatively poor soil – plants will grow too tall in soil that is too rich, and excessive nitrogen will cause the plants to grow vigorously and produce abnormal flower shapes.

If you choose a sunny spot with good drainage, expect the plants to flower in about 70 days. When picking the blooms cut the stems when the flowers are a quarter open with the petals perpendicular to the centre disc. Late harvesting will result in reduced vase life. Stems that are cut at a young stage and placed in fresh water have the best vase life, especially if the stems are re-cut and the water is changed regularly.

Helianthus ‘Sunbright’ was bred by Sakata Seed Corp. and is available from many flower seed suppliers.