Sunflower - cultivation, beneficial properties and contraindications. Sun flower. Decorative sunflower. Helianthus

August 13, 2015

It is impossible to imagine our ordinary Russian garden without sunflowers! Yellow flowers along a fence or near a fence look very elegant. But not all gardeners and summer residents accept sunflower in its classic form: some consider it too a simple plant with an agricultural specialization, others are not satisfied with its tall, stiff stems, which is why the sunflower only looks good near a hedge. And yet they say that this flower must grow on summer cottage– its bright petals make the garden more cheerful, and solar energy cleanses the overall atmosphere. If you are not a fan of the classic “favorite of the sun,” then this article is for you - we will talk about decorative sunflowers.

There are tall, short and even miniature types of decorative sunflowers. These flowers are highly respected by florists, since cut plants can stand beautifully for half a month.

Not all plants have the standard yellow color of the petals: sunflowers are currently bred in red, crimson, white, cream, orange, and apricot colors. Some plants have flower baskets that combine several colors: reddish with yellow, orange with brown... Petals can be long or short, curved, double. Depending on the variety, the shape of the flowers and their number on the stem may vary.

It is curious that seeds appear on decorative sunflowers after flowering. Small, but quite pleasant to the taste!

Sunflowers are grown all over the world. These sun-loving flowers can be found on both hemispheres of our planet, while the sunflower is a very Russian plant, which is also recognized abroad. Yellow flowers with black tasty seeds are an integral part of village landscapes. The German amusement park Europa-Park (by the way, it is the largest in Germany, and the second in Europe in terms of the number of visitors) has a Russian part, and this is where sunflowers bloom. For several years in a row, in one of the districts of Berlin in the summer they organize a “Sunflower Labyrinth”: a field of sunflowers with intricate paths. The labyrinth is small, but local residents they love it very much, especially since you can enter there and walk around completely free of charge. And in Austria there is a whole “Sunflower Park”, where “flowers of the sun” of various varieties and types are presented.

Propagation and planting of decorative sunflowers

Annual species of decorative sunflowers are easily propagated by seeds. No one forbids simply throwing a dry seed into the ground - if the seed material is good, then the flower will grow. However, a careful gardener will wrap the seeds ornamental plants into a cloth soaked in infusion from warm water with ash (a tablespoon of ash per half a liter of water), and only after a day will it start sowing.

Depending on the variety of decorative sunflower, seeds should be sown to a depth of 3 centimeters. The distance between plants depends on their height: there should be about 30 centimeters between low-growing plants, and tall ones require more space - at least 70 centimeters. You can plant sunflowers all summer, starting in May, then bright flowers will delight you all season long.

Perennial sunflowers can be propagated by division every two to three years. The bush divides during a period of relative rest of the plant - in early spring or late autumn. This procedure rejuvenates the sunflower. Typically, more flowers appear after division.

Decorative sunflowers love the sun (which is not surprising!), so they need to be planted in open areas. If you plant flowers in the shade, then expect trouble - they will begin to seek sunlight, bending and stretching the stems. It is advisable that the area with plants be protected from the wind, otherwise in strong gusts the thin stems will not be able to hold the heavy flower heads. Sunflowers need fertile and well-drained soil.

Caring for decorative sunflowers

Ornamental sunflowers are quite unpretentious plants to care for. They will not need much of your attention; it is enough to weed them, sometimes loosen the soil and periodically water them. Be careful with watering - sunflowers do not like stagnant moisture.

If the soil on your site is poor, then you cannot do without fertilizing, otherwise you will not get lush flowers like in the picture with the seeds. It is better to feed with organic fertilizers after the plants have become stronger and have begun to produce buds.

Definitely need to feed tall varieties sunflower, if this is not done, then the plants will draw all the nutrients from the soil, and next year it is unlikely that anything worthy will grow here.

In areas with cold winters, perennial ornamental sunflowers must be covered to prevent them from freezing.

Fight against sunflower pests!

Ornamental sunflowers have their enemies both among insects and among plants. If the leaves and petals begin to curl and turn yellow, check to see if aphids have settled on the plants. If the flowers are not severely affected, then wash off the insect colonies with soap and water, and in case of severe damage, use a special preparation (for example, “Antitlin”, “Commander”, “Iskra”, “Fas”).

The sunflower moth (also known as the sunflower moth) lays eggs in flower baskets; caterpillars emerge from the eggs and begin to gnaw on flowers and even seeds. In the three weeks before the caterpillars pupate, they can significantly damage the plant. They will help against these scoundrels (as well as against the caterpillars of the meadow moth, which eat not flowers, but sunflower leaves, sometimes even the stems). chemicals, as well as folk remedies for leaf chewers.

Varieties of decorative sunflowers with photos

It seems that summer residents and gardeners in Russia have the most tender love for decorative sunflowers with fluffy yellow flowers, in which the seeds are practically invisible. Seed packages have similar images and even similar names: ‘Teddy Bear’, ‘Teddy Bear’, ‘Teddy Bear’ And 'Teddy Bear'... There are a lot of variations, but the idea is the same - a neat golden ball that looks like a soft pom-pom made of fur.

Almost all “cubs” are short (up to 1 meter) with flowers that are quite large for their size (from 10 to 20 cm). Bear sunflowers bloom for a long time and look impressive in groups in flower beds.

There are many varieties of decorative sunflowers with red and burgundy inflorescences. It’s hard to call such a flower a sunflower, it’s more like a gerbera or even a dahlia... But no. This is real sunny flower! You can choose the variety ‘Red Sun’. The plant with dark red flowers grows up to one and a half meters in height. Loves warmth and sunlight, fertile soil, and tolerates lack of moisture. Looks great when cut, suitable for creating bouquets with dried flowers.

Another red variety of sunflower has the name ‘Moulin Rouge’. This is the variety foreign selection. Its velvety burgundy (even with a slight transition to brown) flowers look noble and stylish. Moulin Rouge is a tall sunflower, it can reach 2 meters. Each such sunflower can be considered a full-fledged bouquet, because dark red flowers grow and bloom both at the crown and along the entire stem.

A compact and low sunflower, which is suitable for growing in containers, on the balcony, in the foreground of flower beds and garden beds - sunflower 'Sunspot'. On a small bush, disproportionately large and bright baskets with a diameter of up to 20 cm bloom.

However, be careful with the names and be sure to read the description on the seed package. Another manufacturer may offer you sunflower 'Sunspot', however, it will turn out to be a rather tall, branchy friend with a large number of medium-sized inflorescences.

Low (up to 40 cm in height) variety decorative sunflower it's simply called - 'Summer resident'. It is suitable for planting in flower beds, and groups of golden “summer residents” look great on the lawn. Varied ‘Dwarves’, ‘Sunny bunnies’, ‘Topolino’, ‘Pacino’ and other varieties of dwarf ornamental sunflowers similar to 'Summer resident', will also be able to decorate flower beds and will look cute in flowerpots. Just don’t get confused by the assortment! Sunflower good for small gardens 'Elves Blend'– however, it still needs to be found on sale, since it is not very common here.

There are many varieties of sunflowers with light petals. pay attention to 'Moonlight' And 'Moon light'. The first one can reach a height of up to 180 centimeters; the large inflorescence on the crown is complemented by side flowers - all lemon-colored. On the package with seeds, the color of the petals is exactly lemon, although a sunflower can grow with petals the color of real moonlight: light, almost silver.

A similar metamorphosis can occur with a similar variety 'Moon light': Large lemon blossoms may be lighter or darker than intended. The petals of a decorative sunflower will be moon-pale with a lemon tint. 'Vanilla Ice'.

Tall varieties of sunflowers look good with heathers, cloves, and tuberose. Sometimes it is recommended to combine “solar giants” with climbing ones that will entwine a powerful stem - clematis, morning glory, thunbergia.

Experienced gardeners say that often tall varieties of ornamental sunflowers grow much taller than stated on the packaging. For example, instead of a two-meter handsome man, there was a four-meter giant on the site... On good soil and with proper care, this can easily happen. Just keep in mind that this can happen and if size matters to you, it is better to pay attention to dwarf forms.

What can be concluded? It is very easy to get lost and confused among the numerous varieties of decorative sunflowers. Therefore, first of all, decide on the height - this will narrow the breadth of choice significantly, then choose a color that suits the design of the garden, and only after that decide on the variety. Whatever decorative sunflower you choose, it will definitely decorate your garden and add a little more sun to it!

Many housewives would like to grow decorative sunflowers at home, but not everyone knows the subtleties and nuances of planting, growing and caring for this plant. Decorative sunflower differs from a similar oilseed crop not only by being more attractive appearance, but also by the presence of a large number of varieties, and its main purpose is to create unique style in the garden or near the house.

In Europe, the sunflower has been known for more than 500 years, it is constantly admired, songs are written about it, and it appears in many paintings by famous artists. To date, breeders have bred more than 150 different varieties decorative sunflowers, and new varieties and hybrids appear every year. There are tiny decorative flowers, and there are giant plants; the color can be from soft cream to bright red, uniform and heterogeneous.

Today, decorative sunflowers can be found in almost any part of our planet; they are in Europe, America, Japan, and Africa. Not far from Vienna there is a “Sunflower Park”, which displays both ornamental and oilseed varieties, as well as wild representatives of this genus. The park is very popular among tourists who come to admire this beautiful plant.

Decorative varieties have gained popularity due to the variety of shapes and colors; in addition, their care and cultivation are simple and affordable.

Depending on your preferences, you can grow in your garden varieties that are no more than 30 cm high or those that grow up to 3 meters or more in height, with one or more stems.

You can choose plants with a stem thickness of up to 5-20 cm, and they will help you hide a part of the house or yard that does not look very beautiful, and the variety of colors allows you to choose a plant that fits organically into any exterior.

How to plant correctly?

Before seeds are planted in the ground, it is recommended that they be properly prepared. Preparation process seed material happens according to the following plan:

first from a spoon wood ash and half a liter of water make a solution;
soak a piece of soft cloth with this solution, which should absorb water well;
seeds prepared for planting are wrapped in cloth;
they are left in this state for a day;
if during this time the fabric dries out, it must be periodically moistened;
seeds are ready for planting.

Sowing annual decorative sunflowers can begin in May and continue throughout the summer, so this beautiful plant will constantly bloom in your yard.

The depth of planting seeds in the ground should not be more than 3-4 cm, while the distance between neighboring plants, depending on the selected variety, can be 30-70 centimeters. If perennial varieties are grown, then in this case propagation is carried out by dividing the bush; this can be done every 2 years in spring or autumn.

How to care and water?

Decorative sunflowers are unpretentious plants, so caring for them is quite simple. To maximize their flowering period, it is necessary to water regularly. Although watering should be plentiful, water should not stagnate in the soil, as this can lead to the death of the plant.

In addition, caring for this plant consists of constantly weeding so that they do not interfere with growth, and periodically loosening the soil. It is recommended to periodically remove faded flowers; this will stimulate the growth of new buds and the plant will look more attractive.

If you have fertile soil on your site, then you don’t have to feed the plants; they themselves will find all the necessary substances that will ensure normal growth and development. If the soil is not very fertile, then you can feed the flowers using any organic fertilizers, this must be done at the beginning of the growing season.

If you notice the appearance of any pest, you must use appropriate means of protection to combat it. To combat fungi, drugs such as Vectra, Abiga-pik, Strobi are used, which are diluted to the desired consistency and treated the entire above-ground part of the plant.

Among folk remedies the most effective and frequently used is a solution of soap and copper sulfate: per liter of water take 3 grams of copper sulfate and 25 grams laundry soap, and process the plant. If you see damaged leaves, they must be removed.

If there is a need to remove one of the plants damaged by pests from the site, then you simply need to cut off its stem at ground level. If you decide to uproot a diseased plant, you risk damaging it. root system nearby growing healthy sunflowers.

Growing a flower in an apartment

You can grow this plant in a room on the windowsill. This unpretentious flower Even children who enjoy watching the growth of a decorative sunflower can grow it. To grow indoors, you need to choose decorative dwarf varieties.

The container is taken taking into account the size of the future plant in such a way that you do not have to replant it later, since sunflowers do not tolerate replanting well. For dwarf varieties A pot with a diameter of 30-40 cm is quite enough.

For planting, use regular soil, to which you can add crystals that retain moisture. To provide the plant with the necessary amount nutrients, well-rotted compost is added to the soil 1:1.

When planting, it is best to plant a couple of seeds, and when shoots appear, the weaker plant must be removed. Before emergence, watering is recommended once every two days, and it is necessary to control soil moisture. Shoots should appear already on days 3-8; if this does not happen after 10-14 days, then they will no longer sprout.

Since this plant loves sunlight very much, it should be installed in a place that is well lit.

A little about the types and varieties

If we talk about flower varieties, annual decorative sunflowers are most often grown, but there are also perennial varieties, one of them is Jerusalem artichoke, which belongs to this species and is called tuberous sunflower. Its height can reach 3 meters, and the tubers are eaten and have healing properties.

Another common perennial species is a ten-petaled sunflower, it is smaller in size: its height is only up to 1.5 meters. Flowering occurs from August until the first frost.

One of the most popular annual plants is a "Teddy bear", which is also called "bear cub". His distinctive feature are large flowers that resemble a plush toy in appearance - hence the name “bear cub”. It blooms from mid-summer to early autumn, and its height is usually no more than a meter.

“Krasno Solnyshko” differs from other varieties in its flowers, which are red-brown in color. One of the largest varieties is 'Kong', which can reach a height of 5 meters. This plant has thick stems and wide leaves, so it is often used to create decorative fencing.

There are many different varieties and types of sunflowers that vary in size and color. If you decide to grow such a miracle on your own plot, you will be able to find seeds to suit your taste and not only enjoy the view yourself of this plant, but also to bring joy to people.

I was buying flower seeds for my dacha and an ornamental sunflower caught my eye. The variety is called bear cub.

There are about 40 seeds in a package,

They all came up together, we threw them three at a time into the hole, as a reserve. You shouldn’t do this, it’s better to do 1 per hole, and at a distance of a meter or more, so that they don’t feel crowded. These flowers are very easy to care for and are not demanding of either soil or water, although if both are good, the result will greatly please you. We also sowed it in unfavorable conditions, in trampled ground and did not water. The poor fellow grew to a height of 20 cm, but still bloomed, with small flowers 4 cm in diameter. We are grateful for that, because besides him, no one survived there at all. Under normal conditions, the sunflower grew 90-120 cm high. The stem is powerful, the flowers are large, very fluffy and very beautiful, they decorated our entire dacha! Attracted a lot of bees. And this is also a very big plus for the garden. The maximum diameter of the very first flowers is up to 20 cm! those that later emerge from the side axils a little smaller and bloom less until the frost kills them, withstood the cold like the children of Porfiry Ivanov; they were the last to be killed by the frost at the dacha.

They stand very well in a vase, you can make wonderful compositions from them, and even when isolated they bring a lot of bright colors to the house!

It is impossible to obtain seeds from them, even if you dry a sunflower according to all the rules, its seeds are hollow. Every year we buy a new pack, but these pennies are not a pity for such luxury. They also managed to “treat” their neighbors with seeds from one packet!

The photo shows that some do not correspond to the picture on the pack, we don’t know whether he was pollinated with someone ordinary, or just a “geek” (I’m not swearing, breeders have such a term), but they’re not even very fluffy the specimens delighted with their sunny yellow color.

Sunflower- flower of the sun, its seeds were brought to Europe from America in the 15th century. Sunflower came to Russia under Peter I and for a long time it was grown as a decorative culture, only after some time, one peasant received delicious golden oil from sunflower seeds through a hand press. Now sunflower is grown as an oilseed crop on an industrial scale.

Today, the sunflower is coming back into fashion; it is grown as an ornamental annual flower all over the world, and every year more and more new varieties and garden forms appear.

The Latin name for sunflower is helianthus (Helinthus), like Russian, it comes from the Greek words helios - “sun” and anthos - “flower”.

Genus Helianthus belongs to the family Asteraceae or Asteraceae and includes about 50 species of plants native to the American continent.

How in agriculture, and in floriculture, one type is mainly used - this annual sunflower (Helianthus annuus) from which many varieties have been created, differing both in plant size and in size, shape, color and number of inflorescences on one plant.

Wild sunflower is a plant with a strong branched stem about 1 meter high, on which many small inflorescences up to 8 cm in diameter appear, similar to small suns.

Sunflower inflorescences are a basket, inside of which there are small tubular flowers, they can be yellow or chestnut in color, and along the edge of the basket there are large lingual flowers, usually yellow color, they give the flower a crown frame. After flowering, the achenes, faceted in shape, ripen in the sunflower basket, and their germination persists for up to 2-3 years.

The highest varieties of decorative sunflowers grow to 3-4 meters in height and are appropriately called “Russian Giant” or “Russian Size”. They are suitable for creating high flowering hedges and for hiding unsightly places in the garden.

More attractive to flower growers low-growing varieties helianthus, 40-50 cm high. They are well suited for creating flower arrangements, and also for growing in pots and small containers.

Sunflower varieties with unusual densely double, pom-pom inflorescences of bright yellow color are very popular; they also come in red, brown, bright yellow with a dark center.

Sunflower flowers look beautiful with two-colored petals, when their main part has a beautiful red-brown color, and along the edges there is a bright yellow edging.

Coloring modern varieties helianthus is very diverse, if you associate a sunflower flower with the sun, then now you can find flowers with shades of green, white, cream, dark burgundy to almost black.

Choose as many varieties of decorative helianthus as possible, differing in stem height, size, shape and color of inflorescences, to create a varied flower arrangement.

Grow decorative sunflowers Even a novice gardener can grow his own flower garden; the main thing is to take into account several conditions when planting and caring for this plant.

It is not for nothing that the sunflower is called the “flower of the sun”, because it develops well only in the open sunny place and the inflorescences of the plants will be large, brightly colored.

Annual sunflower - heat-loving crop, therefore it does not tolerate frost. This one is propagated annual flower sowing seeds in mid-May. Seeds are sown in holes of 1-2 pieces, depending on the size of the plant, at a distance of up to 40-50 cm.

To get more early flowering Sunflower is grown through seedlings. Seeds are sown in small pots in April, from which young plants are transferred to the ground at the end of May. permanent place, trying not to damage the root system, since sunflower does not tolerate transplantation well.

Miniature, low-growing varieties of helianthus are often grown as a potted crop; plants up to 35-40 cm high are sown in 1.5-2 liter containers with a nutrient mixture. Pots with blooming sunflowers in summer can be arranged in any arrangement.

The best soil for growing sunflowers is loose and nutritious. This plant actively draws a lot of nutrients from the ground, so the flowers are fed two or three times a season. mineral fertilizers, fresh manure is not recommended for use as fertilizer.

Sunflowers are watered sparingly, as they do not like excessive humidity. After watering, the soil around the plants should be loosened. Carry out weeding and protection from diseases and pests as necessary.

Sunflowers bloom in July - early August and the inflorescences of the basket will decorate the plants until frost, and in the fall the ripened seeds can be collected for sowing next year or used for food.

How nice it is to enjoy beautiful view blooming sunflowers, driving along the field sown with them.

Hobbyists often decorate their personal plots decorative look this plant. Without this bright orange circle, the picture of a rustic-style plot will be incomplete.

Sunflower story

Fans of the decorative variety of sunflower will be pleased to know the history of its penetration into Europe. The plant is native to Mexico. It was from this country that in 1510 they were brought by Columbus on his fourth expedition.

Since then, sunflower has firmly entered the list of popular agricultural and cultivated plants.

It was used as a source of nectar, received vegetable oil, animal food and treats for those with a sweet tooth. And romantic natures did not ignore the bright caps of inflorescences and painted pictures from them.

You can grow decorative sunflowers at home seedling method or in open ground.

Thanks to the persistence of breeders, there are about 150 varieties that can be planted in your dacha.

What kind of plants now decorate gardeners’ yards? In addition to a smaller copy of the sunflower, there are also representatives where several inflorescences grow on one stem at once.

With their help, they not only add color to the garden bright accents, but also used as decor for unsightly outbuildings or house walls.

Growing from seeds

What conditions need to be created for decorative sunflowers?

First of all, this is, of course, an abundance of sunlight. It is also advisable to ensure that the terrain does not imply the presence of through cold air currents.

The soil must be drained and not allow moisture to stagnate.

Planting sunflowers can be done by seeds or seedlings.

To obtain long-term flowering of this plant, you can sow seeds every time, after a certain period of time.

The swollen black seed is immersed in the soil to a depth of no more than 3 cm. Between fairly high flowering plants It is advisable to maintain a distance of 50-70cm.