Common Sunflower Cultivars

Pot Sunflowers

• Dwarf cultivars work well for container growing. Each stalk produces a single large flower head, smaller than that of full-size sunflower cultivars, but large in relation to the height of the plant. Pot sunflower cultivars include "Big Smile," which grows 8 to 18 inches high with a 4- to 6-inch-diameter flower; "Sundance Kid," an 18- to 24-inch-high cultivar; and "Teddy Bear," a 24- to 36-inch-tall cultivar with fuzzy, double-petaled flowers.

Ornamental Sunflowers

• These sunflower cultivars are grown primarily for their looks, and may not produce viable or edible seeds. Ornamental sunflower cultivars include "Autumn Beauty," a red-orange sunflower with multiple flowers per stalk that grows 4 to 6 feet high; "Lyng's California Greystripe," which produces feathery, bright-yellow flowers around 10 inches across on stalks 7 feet high; "Moulin Rouge," a 4- to 7-foot-tall sunflower with dark-red blossoms and black centers; and "Sunbeam," a variety about 3 feet high with 6-inch blooms that have large centers of yellow-green surrounded by orange.

Oil Sunflowers

• Sunflowers for commercial oil production contain anywhere from 39 to 49 percent oil, according to the University of Wisconsin. They're the third-largest source of vegetable oil in the world, accounting for about 14 percent of world seed oil production. According to the Jefferson Institute, most major seed companies offer several varieties of oilseed sunflowers. Most oilseed plants are hybrids, so seed must be purchased each year. The Jefferson Institute and the University of Wisconsin note that "NuSun" cultivars offer higher oleic acid levels than conventional sunflowers do. This unsaturated fatty acid offers greater shelf stability and increased health benefits over conventional oils.

Seed Sunflowers

• Sunflowers grown for their seeds are similar to oilseed sunflowers but produce larger seeds, usually with stripes or other patterns. You should seed snack sunflowers at a rate of about 3 pounds of seed per acre to encourage large, well-developed flower heads and seeds. Some large cultivars, such as "American Giant," which reaches 14 feet high and grows 12-inch flowers, require staking to prevent their stems from collapsing.