Teddy Bear Annual Sunflower
Helianthus annuus 'Teddy Bear'
Plant Height: 12 inches
Flower Height: 18 inches
Spacing: 12 inches
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: (annual)
Description:
This interesting dwarf variety produces big, fluffy, fully double yellow blooms; a real eye catcher for borders, and looks great in containers; a long lasting cut flower
Ornamental Features
Teddy Bear Annual Sunflower has masses of beautiful gold pincushion flowers with yellow overtones at the ends of the stems from early summer to early fall, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its pointy leaves remain green in color throughout the season.
Landscape Attributes
Teddy Bear Annual Sunflower is an herbaceous annual with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.
This is a relatively low maintenance plant. Trim off the flower heads after they fade and die to encourage more blooms late into the season. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Teddy Bear Annual Sunflower is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Accent
- Mass Planting
- General Garden Use
- Container Planting
Planting & Growing
Teddy Bear Annual Sunflower will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity extending to 18 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 12 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 12 inches apart. This fast-growing annual will normally live for one full growing season, needing replacement the following year.
This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selection of a native North American species.
Teddy Bear Annual Sunflower is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
