Like most things in nature, plants also have a season in which they bloom. Not all flowers bloom in the spring, some bloom in winter and some in summer as well. Some plants have flowers every year till they are alive. But what about sunflowers? Do sunflowers grow back every year? In this article, you will understand all about sunflowers and how are classified.
1. What is a Sunflower Plant?
It is a flowering plant member of the daisy family Asteraceae. Botanically called Helianthus, it consists of 70 species of perennial and annual flowering plants. They are found in North America and South America. They are also known as common sunflowers.
The name was derived from the Greek word, Helianthus, where Helios means Sun, and Anthos means flower. The colors of the flowers can be brown, yellow, red, orange, and maroon with deep brown centers. To know more about the answer to do sunflowers grow back every year, continue reading. (See What is the Most Expensive Truffle?)
2. What are the Types of Sunflowers?
Sunflowers are of two types: perennial and annual.
- Annual plants are those that complete their life cycle from germination to the production of seeds. After a season of growing, they stop producing seeds or fruits and die. Annual sunflowers generally have thin thread-like roots that are shallow.
- Perennial plants live for more than one growing season. Their life span is more than two years and they produce flowers and seeds every year in the growing season. Their roots are attached with tubers and rhizomes and go deep into the ground. Do sunflowers grow back every year? To know about it, read the next segment. (See What’s the difference between annuals and perennials?)
3. Do Sunflowers Grow Back Every Year?
So, do sunflowers grow back every year? It depends on whether they are perennial or annual. As they are available in both varieties, you need to make sure you are buying the right one. If your sunflower is an annual plant, then it will not produce flowers in its second season because they die after blooming once. And yes, if they are of perennial type, they will grow back next year. (See How to Grow Purple Sunflowers?)
4. How to Take Care of Sunflowers?
Sunflower plants should be given proper attention while they are still young. At that stage, you need to water them near their root zone, which is present around 3 to 4 inches away from the plant. After the plant is settled in the soil, watering can be done in breaks. It will help in deepening the roots. If the weather is extremely hot, then water the plant once every week.
Small amounts of fertilizer can be used to maintain the strength of the stems. But never put it near the base of the plant. Instead, mix diluted fertilizer in water and put it at least 18 inches away from the base. (See Do Sunflowers Need Full Sun?)
5. How Long does it take them to Bloom?
Do sunflowers grow back every year? Yes, sunflowers grow fast and mature in 80 to 95 days. The largest variety of sunflowers grows up to a height of 16 feet. The fully grown sunflower’s head can be 12 inches in diameter. Sunflowers bloom during summer and are heliotropic, which means they turn their flowers in the direction of the sun. They follow the sun from east to west and after the sun sets, they turn their face back to the east again. Heliotropism is carried on by young flowers with light heads that do not have many seeds. (See How Long Do Sunflowers Bloom?)
6. What are Some of the Varieties of Sunflowers?
Below are some of the most loved varieties of sunflowers.
- The Autumn Beauty is considered the most spectacular variety of sunflowers with flowers in shades of mahogany, yellow and brown. Their branches reach up to 7 feet and with flowers around 6 inches in diameter.
- The Towering Mammoth is among the traditional giant sunflowers. They can grow up to 12 feet and their seeds can be fed to birds.
- The Sunrich Gold sunflowers are golden-yellow and about 4 to 6 inches in size with a height of 5 feet. They do not produce pollen. They are perfect for arrangements, decorations, and bouquets.
- The Teddy Bear sunflowers are fluffy and deep golden. About 5 inches in size, they can last for a long while in a vase. Reaching up to a height of 2 to 3 feet, they are well suited for backyard or balcony gardens. (Also read What are the Types of Sunflower Seeds?)
7. How the Sunflower Plant Grows?
If you have an annual sunflower species, then harvest the seeds at the end of the season. Here is the process of doing so.
- You have to wait for the back of the flower to turn brown and the petals to wilt. The leaves will also turn yellow and the seeds will look a bit loose from the center of the flower.
- This is the right time to remove the seeds from the flower. If the flower is still on the branch, cut it off at about 6 inches from the flower head and put it in a dry container.
- Remove the seeds by gently rubbing your hand over the flower head and they should fall into the container. If this does not work, then try rubbing the flower head over a kitchen towel or something similar but make sure it is dry.
- If the planting season is far away, then store the seeds in an airtight container and place them in a cool and dry place. You can plant the seeds between January and June to have flowers in the summer and rainy seasons. (See How to Make a Sunflower Garden?)
8. Where are the Perennial Sunflowers found?
Perennials are present everywhere including in some extreme environmental conditions. Unlike other trees and shrubs, herbaceous perennial plants are found in fire-prone areas. The trees and plants found on prairies and steppes are all perennials. All forest plants and shrubs in the tundra region are perennials as well. (See How Tall Do Sunflowers Grow?)
9. How are Perennials and Annuals Plants classified?
Depending upon their life cycle, the annuals are classified into summer annuals and winter annuals and are grown in the respective regions and seasons.
Perennials are classified as evergreen, deciduous, herbaceous, woody, and monocarpic. Some examples of trees from various categories of perennials are as follows:
- Bananas and Begonia belong to evergreen perennials.
- Mint and Goldenrod belong to deciduous perennials.
- Alfalfa, Red clover, and Thinopyrum intermedium are common agricultural plants from herbaceous perennials.
- Pine, apple, and maple trees are woody perennials.
- Some species of Streptocarpus and agave are monocarpic perennials.
- Several food plants that are perennial by nature are grown as annuals. Some of them are all domesticated grains, sweet potato, bell pepper, tomato, mirabilis, petunia, wax begonia, etc.
- Rice, wheat, corn, watermelon, lettuce, marigold, beans, peas, and zinnia are natural annual plants. (See How to Grow Sunflower In A Pot?)
You now know the answer to do sunflowers grow back every year and along with which type of sunflowers you should buy. Sunflowers are magical and enhance the places where they are planted. (Also read Features and Types of Bale)
