Sunflower Seeds & Their Growing Speed

Time Frame

• The period from initial planting to the harvest of mature sunflower seed heads is roughly 70 to 100 days for most varieties. However, the exact time to reach maturity and harvest depends on seed variety as well as the growth environment.

Early Life

• Sunflower seeds begin the growing process below the soil, germinating and eventually breaking through the soil in their first life cycle stage, known as vegetative emergence. This underground developmental period lasts for approximately 11 days.

Growth Stages

• Following germination and emergence, the sunflower continues to grow and produce leaves through vegetative stages characterized by the number of leaves that measure at least 4 cm long. With one qualifying leaf, the sunflower is considered in the V1 stage, while sunflowers with eight qualifying leaves are in the V8 stage.

Reproduction

• Approximately 33 days after the small plants emerge from the soil, each sunflower begins to develop visible flower heads in the reproductive stages of the plant's life. At this time only a bud is present, but as the flower passes through the different reproductive stages, R1 through R9, flowers appear, wilt and fall from the flower head. The reproductive stages last approximately 70 days before the seeds reach full maturity for harvesting.