Some sunflowers are perennials and others are annuals.
Here’s what to know about each bang out.
Laurie Black
Sunflowers are gorgeous native plants that can grow to amazing heights in a single year.
Credit:Laurie Black
But are sunflowers perennials that will come back after the winter?
That depends on which sunflower youre talking about, because some species are perennials and others are annual.
Here’swhat to know about each kind of sunflower.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Are Sunflowers Perennials or Annuals?
There are close to 150 species of sunflowers in the genusHelianthus.
Most are characterized by brightly colored flowers and rough, sandpaper-like foliage.
Credit: Bill Stites
Their flowers seem to follow the sun across the sky, a trait called heliotropism.
Manyperennial sunflowersare native to the prairie regions of the U.S. and are hardy and easy to grow.
While commonly yellow, they are available in many colors and some multi-colored cultivars.
While perennial sunflowers will come back from their roots,annual sunflower varieties need to be replanted yearly.
Line the driveway, create a flowering privacy fence, or hide the garage.
The possibilities are just about endless.
Breeders have been working with this species for years.
Annual sunflowers are one of the easiest flowers togrow in containersor beds.
However, they can also be planted out of the way and left to fend for themselves.
While the bloomsmake stunning cut flowers, leave some to go to seed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely, and many peoplegrow annual sunflowers for their seeds.
Roasting them at home lets you control how much seasoning, if any, is on the seeds.
There are dozens of species of perennial sunflowers with differing growth habits, but some spread quite a bit.
In general, plant perennial sunflower varieties where you wont mind if they start to take over.
They can, but probably won’t.
Annual sunflowers are the tallest; some have been bred for huge size.
The folks at Guinness World Records list the tallest sunflower ever recorded at just over 30 feet tall.
