Perry's Perennial Pages

sunflower 2002 Sunflower Trials

Dr. Leonard Perry, University of Vermont; Milton, VT USDA zone 4a
Cultivar
Height, in.
 flower color
flower width, in. 
bloom time 1
foliage rating 2
foliage width, in.
branched
 notes
Cappucino
54
 dark red
6
L
3
4.5
no
  
Chianti
42
 dark red
4.5
M-L
3
4
yes
  
Claret
54
 red-orange
5.5
M
3
5
yes
  
Crimson Thriller
48
 org-yellow
5.5
M
3
5.5
yes
 variable
Del Sol
24
 yellow
4
E
3
2.5
no
 small plants
Double Dandy
20
 red/yellow
5
E
3
4
yes
 buds in axils, double
Dwarf Yellow Spray
20
 yellow
3
E
3
4
yes
 very branched
Elf
18
 yellow
4.5
M
3
3.5
yes
  
Elite Sun
40
 yellow
6
E
3
4.5
yes
 buds in axils
Floristan
36
 red/yellow
3
M
2
3
no
  
Giant Sungold
54
 gold
6
L
2
6
no
 very double
Happy Face
40
 gold
6.5
M
3
5
no
 big yellow center
Holiday
36
 gold
4
M
3
4
yes
  
Jade
30
 yel-white
4
E
3
4
yes
  
Lemon Eclair
27
 lt yellow
5
E
2
2.5
no
 dk centers, dbl petals
Lemonade
40
 lt/dk yellow
4
M
3
3
yes
 unique dk yel center
Little Dorrit
24
 yellow
4
M
3
4
yes
  
Moonwalker
60
 lt yellow
5
M
3
7
yes
  
Moulin Rouge
60
 dk red
6.5
M-L
3
6
yes
 dk stems, very branched
Pacino
18
 yellow
4
M
3
3.5
yes
  
Prado Red
36
 dk red
5
E
3
4
yes
 yellow petal undersides
Prado Yellow
36
 yellow
5
E
3
4
yes
  
Ring of Fire
48
 red/yellow
4
M-L
3
4
yes
 long bloom
Solar Eclipse
54
 dk red
6
L
3
5
no
 unique when backlit
Soraya
48
 gold
5
L
3
5
yes
 long bloom
Stella Gold
36
 yellow
5
M
1
4
no
 short bloom
Strawberry Blonde
54
 red-yellow
5
M
3
4.5
yes
 reddish stems
Sunbeam
34
 gold
7
M
3
7
no
 very big center
Sunbright
48
 gold
6
M-L
3
4.5
no
 big centers
Sundrops
42
 dk yellow
3
M
3
3
yes
 shiny leaves, leafy effect
Sunny
54
 gold
6
M
3
5.5
no
 big center
Sunset
36
 red/yellow
3.5
M
3
3.5
no
  
Taiyo
42
 gold
6
M-L
3
6.5
no
 big center
Tangina
28
 gold
2.5
M
3
2
yes
 unique flower size
Teddy Bear
24
 gold
4
M
3
5
yes
 double flowers
The Joker
54
 yellow
5
M
3
4.5
no
 unique semi-dbl flowers
Titanic
48
 gold
6.5
L
3
6
no
 latest to bloom 9/14
Valentine
48
 lt yellow
5
L
3
3
yes
 long bloom
Vanilla Ice
54
 lt yellow
4
M
3
2.5
yes
 flowers turn white, long bloom
Velvet Queen
60
 red-yellow
4.5
M
3
6
yes
  

Plants begun in 3601 cells at UVM greenhouses, planted outside into loam soil 6/1, Miracle Gro applied at planting and monthly. Data biweekly, minimum 3 plants each cultivar. Plants were generally shorter than previous years, due perhaps to wet/cool June and dry/hot August.

1Bloom time: E=flowers 1st two weeks7/25-8/7, M=flowers 2nd two weeks 8/14-21, L=flowers after 8/21.
Flower width of most open primary flowers.
2Foliage rating: 1=many leaf spots, insect damage; 2=some leaf spots; 3=no leaf damage

Overall best from these trials, this year, this site:
Early: none particularly striking
Mid: Claret (red-orange), Moulin Rouge (dark red), Ring of Fire (red/yellow), Sunny (gold), Teddy Bear (gold dwarf), Lemonade (yellow lt/dk)
Late: Giant Sungold (gold dbl), Soraya (gold), Titanic (gold dbl), Valentine (lt yellow)

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