Top 10 Most Beautiful Varieties of Sunflowers

The vibrant and radiant sunflower, filled with brilliance and passion, is deeply beloved. Large varieties exude grandeur, while small types charm with their elegance. But which sunflower varieties are the most eye-catching?

I’ve compiled a list of the top ten most beautiful ornamental sunflowers: Teddy Bear Sunflower, Music Box Sunflower, Colored Sunflower, Lemon Queen, Orange Sun Sunflower, Giant Sungold, and the Suraya Sunflower.

Let’s explore them together.

1. Teddy Bear Sunflower

The Teddy Bear Sunflower, a renowned ornamental sunflower variety, is also known as the Beautiful Sunflower or Golden Bear.

This dwarf variety, native to North America, typically grows 30 to 50 centimeters tall. Its flowers resemble the sun or a fluffy, adorable Winnie the Pooh, full and brimming with golden petals.

Its vibrant color adds considerable ornamental value, making it perfect for creating bouquets or adorning vessels.

2. Music Box Sunflower

Highly popular, the Music Box Sunflower could not be overlooked in a lineup of the most beautiful sunflower varieties. Its plant is quite tall and robust, reaching a height of 70 to 85 centimeters, with a flower diameter of 10-12 centimeters.

In full bloom, it showcases brilliant shades of yellow and cream, even dual colors of red and yellow. The ray flowers transition from beige to a reddish-brown, with a black disk in the center. This color palette gives it a unique charm compared to the usual golden sunflowers.

A significant feature of the Music Box Sunflower is its long blooming period, and as a cut flower, it can maintain its appearance for a long time.

3. Colored Sunflower

The Colored Sunflower is a famous variety among ornamental sunflowers. Generally, it grows to about 1.5 meters high and is covered in bristles.

Its leaves are alternately arranged and have stalks. The leaf blades are ovate and green, with pointed tips and occasionally serrated edges. The capitulum grows solitarily at the top of the stalk with a disc diameter of about 10 centimeters.

The ray flowers are yellow with large patches of red, brown, or purple. The Colored Sunflower can grow in any soil type. For cultivation as cut flowers, close planting is necessary. The variety of colors is abundant.

4. Lemon Queen Sunflower

The Lemon Queen is one of the most beautiful sunflower varieties. As a perennial sunflower, it grows vigorously and stands tall, generally reaching 2 to 2.5 meters high.

It boasts bright lemon-yellow flowers, with a chocolate-colored center, reaching up to 15 centimeters in diameter.

Its blooming period lasts from late summer into autumn. Its pale yellow flowers with a darker yellow center are ideal for cutting or adorning gardens. It has been awarded the RHS Garden Merit Award.

5. Orange Sun Sunflower

In my opinion, the Orange Sun Sunflower is one of the most beautiful sunflower varieties. Its appearance, similar to the sun, is coupled with bright and bold flowers, making it suitable for ornamental display.

Typically, it grows 1 to 3.5 meters tall and blooms in the summer. The edges of its inflorescence are adorned with yellow ray flowers that don’t bear fruit. The bisexual tube flowers in the center are brown or purple and do bear fruit.

Its seeds have significant economic value. Not only can they be made into popular sunflower seeds for eating, but they can also be pressed to produce high-quality, low-cholesterol sunflower oil.

6. Giant Sungold Sunflower

Dwarf sunflowers have high ornamental value and are suitable for flower bed planting and potted viewing. Among them, the Giant Sungold Sunflower is quite popular.

As its name suggests, its flowers seem to open a big face, grinning brightly at the sun. Seeing this flower can’t help but brighten one’s mood and encourage a smile. This variety grows 30 to 40 centimeters tall, with a flower diameter of 10 to 17 centimeters.

Its single bright golden petals, a black center, and radiant golden flowers can bloom about 50 to 55 days after planting.

7. Soraya Sunflower

The Soraya Sunflower is one of the most beautiful sunflower varieties. It’s an annual sunflower that grows 1.5 to 1.8 meters tall, has a robust stem, a long blooming period, and is highly prolific, with each plant producing 20 to 25 flowers.

Its flower diameter is around 15 centimeters, with a deep brown center and golden-orange petals. The seeds are of exceptionally high quality and often processed into edible oil.

It’s not only the first sunflower ever to receive an AAS award but has also been certified with the Fleuroselect Quality Mark.

8. Ring of Fire Sunflower

The Ring of Fire Sunflower, an annual variety, grows 1.2 to 1.5 meters tall and rapidly develops good branching. The disk diameter is 10 to 12 centimeters.

It’s a bicolor sunflower, with golden petal edges and a chocolate brown center surrounded by a red ring. It has a blooming period of 120 days, and its long flower stems make it ideal for cut flowers.

If not cut, the flowers might produce seeds for wildlife, another benefit of growing this variety. It won the AAS award in 2001.

9. Autumn Beauty Sunflower

The Autumn Beauty Sunflower, true to its name, is beautiful, elegant, and multicolored, showcasing the brilliant colors of autumn.

This groundbreaking sunflower variety grows up to 120 centimeters tall and is the first medium-tall mixed color variety, featuring gold, red, and brown flowers.

Its main stem produces a large number of branches, making it ideal for cut flowers, especially when combined with other flowers in a bouquet. It’s very popular on the market.

10. Claret Sunflower

The Claret Sunflower is one of the darkest sunflower varieties. This annual sunflower is known for its reliability and excellent horticultural properties.

It grows rapidly, stands upright, and has good branching. The plant reaches a height of 1.2 to 1.8 meters, showcasing deep, soft burgundy colors and nearly black centers.

Its seeds are also edible. However, due to its large disk, caution is needed to avoid wind breakage. It’s a recipient of the RHS Garden Merit Award.