Black Sunflower (Helianthus annuus):

For quantities over 500 lbs. (more than 10 bags of 50 pounds) please contact us by Phone at 800 253 7346 or click here for a price quote and delivery options.

Giant beautiful flowers. These sunflowers can grow tall up to 5 ft and make great windbreaks.  Plant in the full sun for best results.  Seed should be planted about 3/4- to 1 inch deep after the threat of frost has passed.

When compared to striped sunflower seeds, black oil seeds are meatier and have a higher oil content, giving birds more nutrition and calories in every bite. Black oil seeds also have thinner shells, making them easier for small birds to crack. One of the unique things about growing sunflowers is its the newest plant in the plant families. It was previously known as the Composite Family Compositae   The uniqueness of the Aster or Sunflower family is that what first seems to be a single large flower is actually a composite of many smaller flowers. Look closely closely at the sunflower in bloom and you can see that there are hundreds of little flowers growing on a disk, each producing just one seed. Each "Disk Flower "  has 5 tiny petals fused together, plus 5 stamens fused around a pistil with antennae-like stigmas.  Look closely at the big "petals" that ring the outside of the flower head, and you will see each petal is also a flower called a "ray flower" or both.  When the seeds are ripe and fall away you are left with a pitted disc that looks strikingly like a little garden plot where all the tiny flowers were planted. This is a great wind break and if you were into getting the oil you could even harvest it for the sunflower oil.  In addition to windbreak and possible sunflower oil for those that want a triple result you can use this to harbor beneficial insects since the flower attracts great insects and in the end you are adding more organic material to the soil. Welcome to the newest flower family Asteraceae 

Plant 10-15 lbs. per acre