Sun-Fill™ Purple - (F1) Sunflower Seed

Novel purple sunflower.
Fast-growing sunflowers produce sturdy, 3-4" geometric flower heads for use as bouquet greenery. Petals are green at the center, fading to purple. Often, sunflower backs can be just as beautiful and interesting as the faces. To bring the "sunflower back" look to the forefront, American sunflower breeder Tom Heaton bred two innovative varieties (Sun-Fill Green and Sun-Fill Purple) with highly ornamental sepals that wrap the flower face, creating that look typically only found on the back of the flower. Sunflower heads produce very small and few petals, allowing for the calyx to cover the face of the bloom at harvest. Pollenless. Single stem. NOTE: Recommended for cutting only. If left in the field, small petals (which were hidden under the calyx) and large seedhead develop, altering the look of the flower. Ht. 60–72". Avg. 8,500 seeds/oz. Packet: 50 seeds.
DAYS TO GERMINATION:7-14 days at 70-75°F (21-24°C)

SOWING:Direct seed (recommended) - After last frost, sow 1/2" deep. Transplant - Sow into 72 to 50-cell flats 2-3 weeks prior to planting out. Plants dislike root disturbance, but sowing indoors and then transplanting the first crop outdoors can be a successful way to get first-early sunflowers. Do not pinch plants. Pinched single-stem sunflowers will produce low-quality blooms or no blooms at all. Succession-sow every 1-2 weeks and/or plant multiple varieties with varied days to maturity for continuous harvest.

LIGHT PREFERENCE:Sun.

PLANT HEIGHT:Varies.

PLANT SPACING:4-6".

HARDINESS ZONES:Annual.

HARVEST:Flowers can be harvested tight, when color first shows, or when almost completely open, depending on your market and preferred use. Dried - Flowers are completely open. Hang or use silica gel.

SOIL REQUIREMENTS:Light, well-drained soil. Excessive nitrogen may cause plants to grow too vigorously with abnormal flower shapes.

NOTES:Flower size and stem diameter are controlled by plant spacing, temperature, soil type, and day length. For early and late season production, select varieties that are day-length neutral or are noted as suitable for flowering under short days.

USES:Excellent cut flower or for gardens.