The Lemon Rush Sunflower ( Helianthus annuus ) is a hybrid variety with light lemony yellow petals and a blackish centre. They are perfect as a long lasting cut flower and have been bred for this particular purpose. The flower heads average between 10-15 cm in diameter and have strong tall stems.
Lemon Rush Sunflower are a first generation breed (F1) and don’t branch out like common sunflowers do, which means you can plant them closer together for more flowers! Its flowers are pollenless, which is handy for hay fever sufferers but bred this way on purpose to avoid pollen staining on clothes etc. as indoor cut flower. Although nectar is still present and will attract nectar loving insects or birds, pollenless flowers will not produce seed unless pollen bearing Sunflowers are planted nearby. The seed however, will not be the same variety but a cross breed of the two types. It is always exciting to see what will be produced the following year (or later in the season) from crossbred seeds!
Growth
Stems grow to approximately 1.2-1.5 metres tall and have a single flower, whose head will range between 10-15 cm (4-6 inches) in size. Harvest as a cut flower as the flower heads are beginning to open and they will last around 2 weeks in a vase. Flowering occurs from seed at around 50-60 days.
Sunflowers prefer a full sun location and are best planted in a position where they don’t steal sunlight from other species. If your climate has very hot summers, they will tolerate some afternoon shade but require at least hours of direct sunshine. Lemon Rush Sunflowers can be planted as close as 10-15 cm apart, as close as their head width, unlike common sunflowers that require distancing of up to 60 cm.
Suitable for cold to tropical climates when grown at the right time of year.
FAMILY:
Asteraceae
CLIMATE:
Cold – Tropical
TEMPERATURE RANGE:
5°C to 35°C / 41 to 95°F
SOIL TYPE:
Well draining soil types, drought tolerant. Soil too high in nitrogen although may encourage good stem growth, can cause warped & unusual flower shape.
LOCATION:
Full Sun – Part Shade
HEIGHT:
1.2 – 1.5 metres (4-5 feet)
WIDTH:
15 – 30 cm (½-1 foot)
pH:
5.5-7.5
GROWTH TYPE:
Annual, fast growing.
WATER REQUIREMENTS:
Low
POLLINATION:
Pollenless. Pollinated by insects only if a pollen bearing variety is nearby.
MATURITY:
50-60 days.
GERMINATION RATES:
78-92%
GERMINATION TIME:
1-4 weeks
SEEDS PER GRAM:
Approximately 12
MEDICINAL QUALITIES:
Yes
WEED POTENTIAL:
No
EDIBLE:
Yes.
SEED STORAGE & VIABILITY:
Storage at 4°C (Fridge) or -18°C (Freezer) 1-2 years in airtight container or bag.
FACTS ABOUT HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (Sunflowers)
Sunflower seeds are a popular snack and available roasted at supermarkets, The seeds are also very attractive to birds and are added to commercial bird seed for parrots. But did you know that all parts of Sunflowers are edible?
The oil from Sunflowers has been used in cooking since the 16th century and there is evidence that the species originated from Mexico as far back as 2600BC!
The Sunflower is the national flower of Ukraine, the state flower of Kansas, US.
