Sunflower

Basic Information

Seed Number

66

Seed Name

Sunflower

Variety

Mixed Colors

Category

Flower

Plant Family

Asteraceae

Plant Type

Mixed annual sunflower (Helianthus annuus)

Planting Method

Direct Sow

Seed Status

In Seed Bank

Created

2026-08-14 00:50:34

Updated

2026-08-19 15:35:29

Planting Information

Start Planting Date

May 6

Last Recommended Planting Date

Jul 15

Plantable Months

May, June, July

Indoor Start

Not recorded

Direct Sow

May 6 – Jul 15

Transplant

Not Recommended

Indoor Start Weeks Before Frost

Not Recommended

Transplant Weeks After Frost

Not Recommended

Germination Days

7–10 days

Harvest/Maturity

Not recorded

Succession Planting

14 days

Growing Conditions

Ideal Soil Temperature

60°F+

Planting Depth

1 in

Plant Spacing

12-18 in

Row Spacing

24-36 in

Thin-To Spacing

12-18 in

Sun Requirements

Full sun; 6-8+ hours/day

Water Needs

About 1 in/week; water consistently during establishment, flowering and seed development

Soil Preference

Fertile, well-drained soil; approximately pH 6.0-6.8

Minimum Container Size

giants need ground/large pots

Plant Height

Not recorded

Perennial/Biennial Status

Annual

Container Friendly

No

Trellis/Support Needed

No

Frost Tolerant

No

Heat Tolerant

Yes

Drought Tolerant

Yes

Pollinator Friendly

Yes

Medicinal

No

Garden Uses

Companion Planting

Storage

Seed Source/Brand

MSU Extension; Detroit frost dates; Almanac Detroit

Packet Year

Not recorded

Quantity Notes

Not recorded

Purchase Date

Not recorded

Expiration Year

Not recorded

Storage Box

Not recorded

Container

Not recorded

Envelope

Not recorded

Row

Not recorded

Slot

Not recorded

Storage Notes

Not recorded

Notes

Original Planting Method: Direct sow
Outdoor / Direct Sow / Transplant Window: May 10 – Jul 10
Days to Harvest / Bloom: 60–100 days to bloom
Container Friendly: Dwarf yes; giants need ground/large pots
Medicinal / Herbal Use: Seeds useful; pollinator support
Succession / Reusable Notes: Succession sow for blooms. Tall types need wind protection.
Zone 6B Notes: Direct sow after frost.
Companion Plants: Cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, melons, corn, pollinator flowers, clover
Avoid Planting Near / Watch Outs: Potatoes; may shade small crops
Sources: MSU Extension: https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/garden_planning_calendar | Detroit frost dates: https://www.ufseeds.com/vegetable-planting-calendar-detroit-michigan.html | Almanac Detroit: https://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-calendar/MI/Detroit

[[RESEARCH ENRICHMENT START]]
Zone 6B: Direct sow after the May 5 last frost once soil has warmed. Successive sowings through mid-July can extend flowering toward the October 15 first frost.
Germination: Plant about 1 inch deep in moist, warmed soil. Germination commonly occurs within 7-10 days.
Harvest: For cut flowers, harvest when petals are beginning to lift from the flower disk. If saving mature seed, allow heads to ripen and dry.
Seed Saving: Mixed-color sunflowers cross readily through insect pollination. Saved seed will not reliably reproduce the original commercial mixture or its color proportions.
Special Care: The packet name does not identify the cultivars included in the mixture, so mature height and variety-specific maturity are left null.
Research Source: University of Minnesota Extension — https://extension.umn.edu/gardening-minnesota/sunflowers — direct sowing after frost, 1-inch sowing depth, 7-10 day germination, spacing and soil requirements
Research Source: Ferry-Morse — https://ferrymorse.com/collections/sunflower-seeds — commercial mixed-color sunflower seed type and pollinator use
[[RESEARCH ENRICHMENT END]]