Plant of the Week - August 18th 2018

It seems like every day a new plant comes along…a new plant that’s not only new but improved in some way.  And our plant pick today is just that.  Who doesn’t like sunflowers (including the pollinators)?  It’s the most recognizable flowers in the world.  And thanks to plant breeding, there are thousands of selections available (in many colors) and even with multiple flowers on one stalk.  But to have sunflowers all summer long, you need to do succession plantings or chose varieties that flower at different times (one shot flowering). But todays pick takes that a step further…it’s called Sunfinity.  Here is a sunflower that reaches 4’tall and 3’ wide, fast growing, pruning and deadheading not required, used as a cut flower (lasts 7 days in water) or just keep it in the garden (or both), grows in the ground or in containers, and here’s the uniqueness for Sunfinity…it flowers continuously all season long!  Over 100 blooms on one plant during the growing season (yes it is an annual).  So planted in late spring, you’ll have sunflowers on the same plant all summer long.  And believe me, ours has simply out-bloomed itself so far this summer (seems to be finishing up at this stage).  BUT, plant them again in September, and you’ll have sunflowers until a good hard frost.  It’s the sunflower that just keeps on giving!