This is Helianthus annuus uno. My first sunflower ever. I fell in love with sunflowers after seeing fields of them during a summer spent in Italy when I was in college. For some reason, I have never grown any. Probably did not want to stake them. This one is ‘Sunspot Dwarf’, a two foot tall plant advertised to have 10″ wide flowers, the flower is not quite that big nor is the plant that tall. However, I am growing them in December in South Florida, so who really knows. I am, nonetheless, thrilled to have and cut them.
I bought seed this fall from Sow True Seed https://sowtrueseed.com/ in Asheville, North Carolina. Their packages read that they are committed to supporting a sovereign seed system. I had to look that one up. I am in favor of non GMO anything. Here is the definition:
The farmer’s right to breed and exchange diverse open source seeds which can be saved and which are not patented, genetically modified, owned or controlled by emerging seed giants.
Further instructions are on the seed packages as to how to save the seed. Fascinating, though, I will probably cut all these sunflowers. I cut this one and left it in the grow bag to see if side shoots will produce more flowers. Gardening, the constant experiment.
A closer view:
Along with the sunflower are zinnias from the bag garden. I have a Cactus Mix and Pink Cactus. I am not sure where the pink one came from. The green ones are from ‘Green Envy’ Zinnias I have growing in a hot color bed in my front garden.
The foliage view:
Green foliage is Asian Sword Fern. The red varigated leaves are from an unnamed Ti Plant (Cordyline fruticosa). There are a zillion varieties of these floating around South Florida. My favorite name is Twisted Sister, I picked this one up at a Master Gardeners sale for a few dollars. My favorite kind of plant.
Thanks to Cathy at http://www.ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com for hosting IAVOM. To see more vases, follow the link to her blog.
Happy Gardening.
The Shrub Queen 
It’s a beautiful sunflower, especially in that close-up of the interior. Thanks for the info about your seed source.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Susie. I think they are a very graphic flower.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is interesting info about the seeds. It really looks like a summer vase, which is nice to see in the winter.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It does look very summery. Ironically, I am not sure I could grow these in summer.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Congratulations on your first Florida sunflower! 😃🌻 It’s a lovely happy mix of flowers and foliage for me to behold on such a dismal December day here! Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. A little more Florida sunshine out there.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your pleasure in your first sunflower is palpable. I can sense you will be looking forward to the next one and the next one, and grow different types too. You’ve displayed it beautifully along with the zinnias and foliage.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Noelle and yes, I am very pleased with my sunflower.
LikeLike
Much as I admire your ‘tropical’ vases full of amazing plants I had never come across before. I think I may prefer these simpler ones, so carefully structured. Your spots of colour work perfectly against the beautiful curated leaves. I grow some dwarf sunflowers too, and many of them do branch well, producing flowers over a long period
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Cathy. I hope to get some more sunflowers. It still seems strange to me, having all the different foliage colors.
LikeLike
Gee, I forget that ti is a Cordyline. I have actually seen it here! Most started out as houseplants, then got too big, so went into the garden, where they did not succumb to frost as expected. Some of the houseplants may have started out as those small ti plan souvenirs that used to be sold at the airport in Honolulu.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, lots of HNL ti plants around.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, but I had to Google HNL.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We love Hawaii. OGG was the one that always threw me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Why do they not use the initials of their associated city, like LAX or SJC?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Kahului is such a weird word, I guess.
LikeLiked by 1 person
but there is nothing wrong with its initial.
LikeLike
As surprised as I’ve been by your fall/winter Zinnias, seeing a sunflower in bloom this time of year was an absolute shock! (if it helps any, my summer-blooming sunflowers never grow as big as the packages claim they will either.) I love the Cordyline foliage in your vase too and wish I could grow some of the varieties with hefty leaves like that here.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The sunflower was a what the heck I will try it thing…
LikeLike
Congrats on your first sunflower! It is a pretty one and I’m always interested in low-growing ones as mine are apt to tumble during winds at the peak of bloom. Thanks also for the link to the seed company. I definitely support their premise.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Eliza. I thought the same about windy conditions..lots of that here! The seed packets are interesting to read about distance necessary to prevent cross pollination.
LikeLiked by 1 person