Sunflower
flower
At a glance
- USDA Zones
- 4–9
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hrs)
- Water
- Low — drought-tolerant once established
- Soil
- Loam, sandy
- pH
- Neutral, alkaline
- Spacing
- 18 in. between plants
- Space needed
- A 2×2 ft block of the bed
Planting & harvest windows
Northern Hemisphere timing. Adjust ±4–6 weeks based on your last/first frost dates.
| Activity | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plant | ||||||||||||
| Harvest |
Plant Harvest
Good companions
CucumberSunflowers offer light shade and act as trellises; their pollen draws pollinators to cucumber flowers.
Keep apart from
Recommended varieties
- Mammoth Russianseed
10+ ft tall with giant edible seed heads.
- Autumn Beautyseed
Multi-color blooms in red, gold, and bronze.
- Lemon Queenseed
Soft yellow, branching, bee favorite.
Add Sunflower to your raised bed — the planner handles spacing and companion warnings automatically.
Open the planner →