Sunflower - Lion's Mane

NZH. Similar to our teddy bear sunflower, but a much taller multi head plant. Our friend, Rob Hammington, a seed saver and avid gardener, gifted us the seeds, before he passed away. We tried to reproduce them the year of the cyclone. Unfortunately, that year it was not meant to be. Which is why we were so delighted this season to harvest beautiful seeds from healthy plants. This variety arrived in NZ with the Dalmatian gum diggers sometime around 1860 and has survived since I am sure in part due to how stunning these plants are. Grows to 2m, great for carbon production after the beautiful flowers are enjoyed. Main heads average 25cm diameter with smaller side shoot heads growing to 15cm diameter. Frost tender, grow them in the veggie garden as a companion to your corn, pumpkins and beans, or in back boarders and along fences as a stunning hedge of sunflowers for pure enjoyment. This sunflower would make a great addition to a children’s garden or as a tipi for making a hut to catch the shade under these beauties.

Note: This seed is hard to get to germinate well. It is currently coming in at 50%. We will include extra seeds to allow for this, so sow more than you would want to get the right number of plants.

Sow in September in glasshouse and prick out to 4cm diagonal spacing when true leaves appear. Transplant to 50cm diagonal spacing in fertile soil in direct sunlight after last frost. These are great grown in companion with beans and pumpkins, melons or squash, as in the Three Sisters Garden.

20 seeds.