It’s easy to grow your own flowers from seed. Here’s beautiful flowers, growing information & seed collections for gifts.
COUNTRY GARDEN SEED SHOP
Helianthus 'Teddy Bear'
Teddy Bear Sunflowers are lovely in the garden and for cut flowers too. What's more they are loved by children as they are shorter than most Sunflowers with an appealing fluffy texture. Each plant is well branched with many long strong stems. Masses of sunny yellow shaggy flowers are produced for weeks on end. They are easy to grow, great for cut flower production and excellent in the garden too.
Unlike some of the other Sunflowers Teddy Bear produces minimal pollen.
Sow Teddy Bear Sunflowers in succession for flowers from June to October. For your cut flower patch sow indoors March-April then plant out in May. Sow again when the soil has warmed up outdoors (from May onwards) for a later crop. If you are serious about cut flower production sow a batch of seeds every two weeks.
| Genus | Helianthus |
| Variety | Teddy Bear |
| Plant Type | Half Hardy Annual. Perfect for Children. Cut Flower |
| Height & Spread | In the garden Teddy Bear reaches 90cm tall x 45cm wide (3 feet x 18 inches) with 30-60 cm (1-2 feet) stems. Grow in containers to restrict the height even more if you prefer. |
| Sow Seeds | Sow seeds indoors (at 10-16°C) March-April then plant out in late April and May. Sow outdoors in spring (May) for a later crop of summer flowers. Sow every two weeks for cut flower production. |
| Thin/Plant Out | Allow 45cm (18 inches) between plants. Plant closer together in patio containers. |
| Conditions Required | Sunflowers prefer moist but well drained soil in full sun. Provide sturdy support to prevent damage from wind and heavy rain. Water thoroughly in dry spells. |
| Flower Production | Many stems with fully double sunny yellow flowers produced from June to October. Each flower head is 8-12cm /3-5 inches across making them perfect for a vase and hand tied bouquets. Takes 10-12 weeks from seed to flower. |
| Picking | For cut flowers pick Sunflowers when the first few petals have unfurled. It's best to pick when it's cool, early in the morning or evening, strip most of the leaves from the stem and stand them in deep water for a few hours. Sunflowers have a long vase life, no preservative necessary. |
| Planting Combinations | Sunflowers are some of the most stunning annual flowers you can grow and Teddy Bear is popular because of their bright colour, appealing fluffy texture and outstanding performance. Sunflowers will amaze you with their beauty, speed of growth and long vase life. |