How Long Can a Sunflower Survive?

Annual Sunflowers

• Annual sunflowers, such as Helianthus annus, complete their life cycle in one growing season. Annual flowers are frequently grown for cut flowers, as an ornamental garden flower or for edible sunflower seeds. Annual sunflowers germinate in late spring and die in the fall.

Perennial Sunflowers

• Perennial sunflowers, such as Maximillian sunflowers (Helianthus maximillianii), return year after year. However, many species of perennial sunflowers are considered weeds instead of ornamental plants. Some are considered invasive, such as the Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus), which is sometimes grown for its edible tubers.

Cut Sunflowers

• Cut sunflowers stay fresh for two to four weeks if you take good care of the flowers. Cut sunflowers in the early morning and put them in a bucket of lukewarm water immediately. Store cut sunflowers in a commercial flower preservative or a homemade flower preservative made from 1 part lemon-lime soda, 3 parts warm water and 1/4 tsp. bleach.