I grew lots of different sunflowers last summer to select the ones I really liked. I was looking for a range of color of both the petals and the faces, of differences in petal shapes because I wanted to find the sunflowers that most closely represented the sunflowers painted by Van Gogh in his famous series of seven paintings of sunflower bouquets in vases. On close inspection of the paintings you’ll see the differences among the flowers. Some have wild-looking, spidery petals, others petals are thickly packed like chrysanthemums, and yet others double or single petals. The centers or faces differ as well. Some centers are bright chartreuse green, other chocolate brown or black ringed with orange. Petal colors are brilliant yellow, pale orange, darker orangish-red, reddish, and pale yellow. This link will take you to a site where you can see the seven paintings in the series. http://www.vggallery.com/misc/sunflowers.htm.
When you grow our collection of six different sunflowers you’ll have an array as varied as the sunflowers shown in Van Gogh’s paintings.
All the sunflowers in the collection are cutting flowers, and all are branching types which mean, in addition to a main flower head on the center stalk, there will be numerous side shoots branching out ensuring ongoing bloom over several weeks or longer.
Each individual letterpress printed packet contains approximately 25 seeds. All germinate within 7-14 days and bloom within 60- 65 days of planting, An instruction card is included which covers planting, watering, pinching, and cutting and caring.
Greenburst – Golden yellow flowers are semi-double with a green center ringed by a row of small, dark yellow petals. Branching, grows 4 – 6 feet tall.
Orange Ruffles – Orange-yellow flowers have curling, spidery outer petals, and a black center ringed with small, frilly dark orange petals. Branching, grows 4 – 6 feet tall.
Lemon Éclair – Light yellow, multi-layered flower have fluffy inner petals and more pointed outer ones. The center is chocolate colored. Branching, grows 4-6 feet tall.
Terracotta – Orangish-red terracotta flowers have almost daisy-like petals, and a dark brown center. Branching, grown 4-6 feet tall.
Golden Cheer – Fluffy, dark yellow double flowers have a green center ringed with short, dark yellow petals. Branching, grows 4 -6 feet tall.
Chianti – Dark red, wine –colored petals surround a very dark, almost black center. The stems also have a dark tint. Branching, grows 4- 6 feet tall.
