Short and Sweet: Growing Dwarf Flowers - Part I
Sunflowers
Many of us have been impressed
with seeing tall sunflowers grown
outdoors to over eight feet tall, with
huge yellow seed heads waving in the
summer breeze. However, the same big
bright flowers can be the feature of an
impressive indoor plant display in midwinter with the use of dwarf cultivars
and a grow lamp or two. Helianthus
or sunflower are perhaps the one cut
flower plant species, which can range
in flowering height from one foot to
10 and the color range also extends
past the traditional sunny yellow. These
plants are also well suited to hydroponic
systems; they have large leaves and need
a lot of moisture due to having a rapid
uptake rate of water on warm days and
potted plants often run dry between
irrigation. On demand feeding through
a hydroponic set up ensures the fast
growth rate can be sustained and the
plants won’t dry out.
Even within the dwarf sunflowers there
is a range of flower sizes - cultivars such
as Big Smile produce large flower heads
on a short plant, making a stunning
feature. However, other cultivars such
as the widely grown Pacino Cola and
Sunny Smile (F1) produce a dwarf plant
(one foot tall) with small, cute flowers
and a more branched plant form. Teddy
bear is another dwarf, novelty type that
produces large, fully double pompom
like golden flowers, while Apricot Twist
has wavy petals and a unique apricot
color. Those who suffer from allergies
can also select from the ever increasing
range of pollen free sunflower types.
Dwarf sunflowers can be as short as 10 inches tall
when flower buds develop.
Potted dwarf sunflowers require a lot of irrigation and are best raised in systems which can
automatically provide this, such as NFT or ebb and flow.
Sunflower seeds will germinate within two to
three days if given sufficient warmth.
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MAXIMUM YIELD USA - June 2009
Large sunflower bud developing on an eight
week old, hydroponic plant.
These types won’t drop large quantities
of yellow pollen over surfaces and are
also a good choice for indoor growers.
Sunflowers are a summer season plant
and will produce best when provided
with long day lengths and warm
conditions, however, day neutral cultivars
do exist which will flower irrespective the
day length provided. Ideal temperatures
are 72°F to 86°F, with growth and