Unusual Sunflowers to Grow in the Garden

Unusual colors and flower mutations always prompt fascination among gardeners. Sunflowers are one of those oddities that manage to break a few trends: a deep-seated disgust with the color yellow, and appearing at a frequency rare enough to deem them a delightful attraction. Most people find no fault with sunflowers, except that some burgeoning varieties may topple. An easy fix is to secure young stalks loosely to a sturdy garden fence, trellis, or horizontal wires as they grow. 

To adjust the heights of low-lying flowers to be on par with sunflowers, grow them in raised garden beds. A bushy mound of yellow sunflowers is a familiar sight, but there are also unusual forms that warrant interest. 

Here are a few unusual varieties of sunflowers that will bring a variety of beneficial pollinators to the yard. 

1. 'Chocolate Cherry'

Under the sun, the dark children labor, the ravens that make the Tower of London their home. If you adore all things dark, then this sunflower is the ideal candidate. Featuring dark chocolate disks and burgundy petals, it is a true customer favorite. Despite their color, its predilection is for full sun. 

2. 'Teddy Bear'

There’s nothing like a mass of fluffy sunflowers to cheer you from the doldrums. Few flowers are as whimsical as this fluffy sunflower, which holds the title of being cuter than your pet dog. The antithesis of sharp-thorned roses, 'Teddy Bear' grows to only 2 to 3 feet tall, producing spherical balls resembling a giant lollipop. Plant them in a spot with full sun and well-draining soil after the last frost. 

3. 'Strawberry Blonde'

Pink itself is a color that begets many subtle permutations. A dusky, antiquated rose-petal pink is coveted among flowers, and as the first pink sunflower, 'Strawberry Blonde' holds the crown. Though they are pollenless, they still provide much needed nectar for bees, native pollinators, and butterflies – a disaster in the wild, but a boon for those afflicted with allergies. 

4. Sunflower 'Shock-O-Lat' 

With an unusual coloration, this sunflower carries a grit that makes it seem as if it were watered on a diet of whiskey and the waters of the Tennessee River. Featuring a shock of brown that radiates into its petals, reducing it to a narrow golden halo, it is a well-branched sunflower with multiple giant blooms. As sunflowers are heavy feeders, enrich the soil before planting out with plenty of well-rotted manure or garden compost. 

5. 'Moulin Rouge'

'Moulin Rouge' delivers some of the deepest, darkest red tones available in the sunflower family. The petals are a rich, velvety burgundy-black that absorbs the sunlight, creating a dramatic focal point in any flower bed. Growing between 5 and 6 feet tall, these plants produce strong stems with multiple side branches laden with blooms.

6. 'Sundance Kid'

A free-spirited variety, Sundance Kid sunflowers hold the honor of being one of the oldest dwarf varieties. Drawing roguish traits from the outlaw it was named after, it’s also extremely easy to grow. They do require a lot of water when growing. 

7. 'Lemon Queen'

When most people say they want to live in the country, they don’t mean the country that consists of ‘rustic’ outhouses or farmers who slaughter hogs for dinner. They are likely envisioning the country garden of the French countryside, filled with the languid scent of lavender. With soft lemon-yellow blooms, this sunflower has a sophisticated beauty that is less grime-crusted farmhand and more country idyll. Pair with 'Coconut Ice', an even paler sunflower.  

8. 'Big Smile'

For many, a big smile is anathema at the dentist’s office or for annoying pictures. Hilariously, the plant itself is remarkably compact, growing only 1 to 2 feet tall – perfect for patios or decks. The next time your cousin irritates you, demanding a broad grin, just tell them to grow 'Big Smile' sunflowers. To lessen the labor on your back, consider investing in a potting bench. 

9. 'Claret'

A close relative of red-toned cultivars, 'Claret' features slender, deep wine-red petals that radiate a metallic sheen in the direct sun. Growing around 5 to 6 feet tall with a branching habit, it produces abundant medium-sized flowers that resist fading, maintaining their rich coloration well into the fall.

10. Sunflower 'Sunshine Dream'

Children are told to beware of darkness, and that is perhaps why yellow sunflowers are in such high demand. The result of crossing annual sunflowers with a perennial species, this perennial sunflower resembles a sunny dahlia. It doesn’t offer much pollen or nectar for pollinators, but it is still a valuable host plant for many insects. It blooms late in the season, from August to October, filling in the gaps in your garden when the other plants have begun to wilt. 

11. 'SunFill Purple'

As lovely as it is odd, this sunflower unfurls into spikes tinged with smoky purple for an unusual coronation, almost like a succulent. Its blooms persist on the stem indefinitely even as other flowers have wilted, offering a sort of melancholy beauty. Ranging from 4 to 6 ft in height, it’s a versatile flower that adds a tonal contrast to a flower bouquet.