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Posted: Jul/30/2009 11:32 AM PST
i have a rogue! turns out that one of the sunflowers i planted this year is a 'multi-header' - woohoo! i know it isn't a 'bird bonus' because i transplanted it to the front garden from a pot in the back about 6 weeks ago. he's about 4ft right now and from the looks of him, will wind up with a good dozen blooms. my neighbor has one on her patio that a bird surprised her with...it's easily 7 feet and has 20 or more blooms/buds to date! i was so jealous until this morning when i realized i had one of my own! lol from what i see online, they're anomalies...looks like you can't actually buy seeds. says they've just adapted on their own from domestics and grow in ditches and what not. does anyone know anything about them? thanks much! |
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Posted: Jul/30/2009 1:57 PM PST
I had multi-bloom sunflowers pop up from nowhere when I lived in WI and I always loved them. Best I can tell, they were a gift straight out of the birdfeeders (I only feed BO sunflower seed). Since we've been here in KY, I haven't had another multi and I would love to have them. What I do have is a Prairie Sunflower (seeds that I got from Park two years ago). They sprouted and bloomed the first year. The following year they came back from the ROOT which is odd for a true sunflower. They get about 7' tall or more and bloom all up and down the stem. What is also nice about them is that they don't bloom until late-late summer so you have something yellow when a lot of other plants are done for the year. Only trouble is they get so tall that sometimes they tend to fall over. Here's what they look like now ~ it's too early for blooms yet. ETA ~ seems you CAN get seeds for multi bloomers. Try Thompson & Morgan Seeds (www.tmseeds.com) and you will see many choices ~ NOT expensive 
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Posted: Jul/31/2009 3:08 PM PST
I've never seen a sunflower with leaves like that. Are you sure that's really what it is? lol I'm not an expert, but all the bird planted and old fashioned tall ones have big broad leaves. |
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Posted: Aug/01/2009 4:55 AM PST
Your question got me curious, Poe ~ so I went back to ParkSeed where I ordered the seeds from in the first place. It is helianthus maximilianii or common name Prairie Sunflower, and it is definitely a perennial. I have it in three spots in my yard (I divided it after the first year since the clump got so big). It is resistant to pests and doesn't care about soil either. Park has the seeds for $1.95 a pack. Or if you want a clump? ........
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Posted: Aug/01/2009 5:21 PM PST
KeyWee, I bought the same flower at a yard sale a while back. I dont know if it will bloom this year but I am looking forward to when it does bloom. I have seen them in other peoples yards for years and wanted one. |
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Posted: Aug/02/2009 4:40 AM PST
FG ~ you have better yard sales in your area than we do These things bloom VERY late. Mine is showing no signs of blooms yet ~ I just checked it up close yesterday. Like I mentioned before, mine bloomed from seed the very first year, so I am willing to bet yours will too. I will post when mine starts to show blooms. |
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Posted: Aug/02/2009 2:34 PM PST
KeeWee. what are the sunflowers zoned for to make them perenials, here they are sold as annuals in containers here in AK. But really would love to grow them as perineals if I could here!!!! Tammy |
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Posted: Aug/03/2009 3:37 AM PST
Tammy ~ this plant is perennial in zones 4-10. It is pretty hardy. If you go to www.parkseed.com and type "prairie sunflower" into the product search box, you will see a great photo of the blooms and also the plant details. |
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Posted: Sep/05/2009 11:41 AM PST
Ok ~ here they are FINALLY blooming! Told ya they are late-comers. Next year I plan to pinch these back before bloom so they branch and stay lower. This year they are tall and tend to flop over. I like them though. This picture is a plant I dug out and moved. Well, surprise ~ it turned up in the same spot anyway
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Posted: Sep/06/2009 8:04 AM PST
That is really pretty, I'm looking that up now.  What is the steps leading too in the background? When I look at a pic, I look at the whole thing...just curious |
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