Product Description
Sunflowers are a uniquely American flower and are very easy to grow from seed. This annual Mammoth Sunflower varietal has deep golden-yellow petals and a brown center and grows to a majestic 10-12 feet tall, earning it the nickname "Skyscraper". Sunflowers are hardy in zones 2-11 and signal the transition from summer to fall, reaching peak blooming season in September and October. These Heirloom Mammoth Sunflower Seeds are part of The Seeds That Built America collection by Harvesting History and are made in the USA!
Planting and Care
Plant your mammoth Sunflowers in a location with full sun in very late spring when the ground has warmed considerably. Sow the seeds at a 1/2 inch depth and 10-12 inches apart. Moisten the soil and keep it slightly moist until germination, which takes about 7-10 days. Sunflowers thrive in moist, well-drained, nutrient-rich soil. Do not let them get waterlogged. The plants reach maturity in about 60-70 days. For continuous blooms, start a second group of seeds in mid-summer.
Inspiration
The Sunflower is native to what is now the Southeastern United States, but long ago made its way to South America, where it became an important staple crop of the Incans who grew the plant for its seeds and for oil.
Native Americans ground the seeds to make meal cakes, a source of protein that sustained them through the winters, and made dyes from some purple-flowered varieties of sunflowers.
The Spanish introduced the Sunflower to Europe in the 16th century, and by 1596, the famous English herbalist John Gerard was extolling the virtues of this wonderful plant.
Sunflowers grew in many sizes, shapes, and colors across the Americas. Those native to the West exhibited frequent branching and were shorter. Those native to the East had larger flowerheads, less branching, and were taller.
Czar Peter the Great played a key role in the Sunflower's growing popularity. While on a trip to Holland, he discovered the plant and brought seeds back to Russia. He began to cultivate Sunflowers and encouraged his Russian people to do the same. His efforts launched one of the largest-scale agricultural production programs of the 18th century. By the early 19th century, more than 2 million Russian acres were under cultivation with Sunflowers.
Eighteenth-century Williamsburg was the home of many ardent gardeners and plant collectors who often exchanged seeds with fellow enthusiasts in Great Britain. Gardeners obtained their seeds from store merchants or from traveling seedsmen. Today, the Colonial Williamsburg seed program continues the tradition by offering many varieties grown in the 18th century.
