Sunflower ‘Sunny Smile’

Helianthus annuus ‘Sunny Smile’

Characteristics

Culture

‘Sunny Smile’ is the big Sunflower you can grow in a small pot! Plant it in a 4 or 6 inch pot and it will grow a hardy plant 12 to 15 inches tall with a single giant bloom fully 5 inches across. Or place it in the garden, where it remains just a bit over a foot high but branches beautifully, giving you 4 to 5 big blooms. Versatile, beautiful, and so easy to grow, it belongs in every sunny garden and flowerpot. ‘Sunny Smile’ blooms a bit earlier than other varieties, getting your Sunflower season off to an early and breathtakingly beautiful start. A mass planting is a joy, and this plant thrives even in poor, dry soil, so find those garden “trouble spots” and transform them. There are many dwarf Sunflowers out there these days, but none quite like Sunny Smile.

Noteworthy Characteristics

‘Sunny Smile’ offers large-coned flowers with bright yellow petals, the classic Sunflower pattern that has made this American native our national annual. Their dwarf size makes them so much easier to grow — no staking.  And their heavy, dependable bloom strength makes them an asset to children’s gardens and a necessity in the vegetable patch. The Sunflower is the “4th sister” of the Native American Three Sisters planting combination (corn, beans, and squash), attracting birds to the late-summer and autumn to feast on the dried seeds in its huge cones. Of course, your blooms may never make it that long in the garden.  Pollen-free, they are a joy to pick for indoor arrangements.  Flower heads tend to follow the path of the sun each day from morning to night, hence the common name.

Problems

Rust, leaf fungal spots and powdery mildew are somewhat common. Caterpillars and beetles often chew on the foliage.

Garden Uses

Specimen or mass. Cottage gardens, bird gardens, wildflower or native plant gardens, beds, border fronts or containers.