Branching sunflower varieties

Branching sunflowers make several flowering stems from one seed, while single-stem types make one flower per plant. Johnny's Selected Seeds says branching types reduce the need for repeated sowing. The table below compares every variety we list side by side.

Varieties
26
Height
1–14 ft (30–427 cm)
Hardiness
Grown as an annual in every zone
Form

26 Branching

Compare all 26 side by side

All 26 branching sunflower varieties

A Autumn Beauty sunflower flower up close on the plant Autumn Beauty Branching sunflower mix, up to 8 inch blooms in yellow, bronze and purple shades. Midsummer, Late summer, Fall8–10 ft (244–305 cm)
A Big Smile sunflower flower up close on the plant Big Smile Open-pollinated dwarf sunflower, 12–24 in. tall, with golden-yellow flowers. Midsummer, Late summer, Fall1–2 ft (30–61 cm)
A Buttercream sunflower flower up close on the plant Buttercream Pollenless cut sunflower with pale butter-yellow flowers and brown centers. Early summer, Midsummer, Late summer4–5 ft (122–147 cm)
A Chocolate Cherry sunflower flower up close on the plant Chocolate Cherry Branching sunflower with chocolate-burgundy 5–8 inch blooms on 6–7 ft plants. Midsummer, Late summer, Fall6–7 ft (183–213 cm)
A Cinnamon Sun sunflower flower up close on the plant Cinnamon Sun F1 ornamental sunflower with 5–6 inch cinnamon-bronze blooms on 5–7 ft plants. Midsummer, Late summer, Fall5–7 ft (152–213 cm)
A Claret sunflower flower up close on the plant Claret Pollen-free F1 sunflower with dark reddish-brown blooms on bushy plants. Midsummer, Late summer, Fall6–6½ ft (180–200 cm)
A Evening Sun sunflower flower up close on the plant Evening Sun Multi-branching sunflower with 4–6 inch blooms in red, orange and burgundy. Midsummer, Late summer, Fall 6–8 ft (183–244 cm) (estimated)
A Firecracker sunflower flower up close on the plant Firecracker F1 branching sunflower, 36–46 in. tall, with pollenless red and gold flowers. Midsummer, Late summer, Fall3–4 ft (91–117 cm)
A Giant Primrose sunflower flower up close on the plant Giant Primrose Top-branching sunflower 8 to 12 feet tall with many pale creamy yellow flowers. Early summer, Midsummer, Late summer8–12 ft (244–366 cm)
A Italian White sunflower flower up close on the plant Italian White Heirloom branching sunflower with 4 inch cream petals around a dark center. Midsummer, Late summer, Fall4–6 ft (122–183 cm)
A Jade sunflower flower up close on the plant Jade Pollenless branching sunflower with pale greenish white petals and lime-green centers. Early summer, Midsummer, Late summer3–4 ft (91–122 cm)
A Kong sunflower flower up close on the plant Kong F1 hybrid giant sunflower 13 to 14 feet tall, branching, with heads up to 10 inches golden yellow heads. Early summer, Midsummer, Late summer13–14 ft (400–427 cm)
A Lemon Queen sunflower flower up close on the plant Lemon Queen Branching sunflower 5 to 7 feet tall with lemon yellow flowers and brown centers. Early summer, Midsummer, Late summer5–7 ft (152–213 cm)
A Little Becka sunflower flower up close on the plant Little Becka Branching, pollenless sunflower, 2–3 ft tall, with copper-red and yellow flowers. Midsummer, Late summer, Fall2–3 ft (61–91 cm)
A Moulin Rouge sunflower flower up close on the plant Moulin Rouge Pollenless branching F1 sunflower with deep burgundy 3–6 inch blooms. Midsummer, Late summer, Fall5–6½ ft (152–203 cm)
A Orange Hobbit sunflower flower up close on the plant Orange Hobbit Dwarf branching sunflower with pollenless 4 to 7 inch orange flowers, 30 to 40 inches tall. Midsummer, Late summer2½–3½ ft (76–102 cm)
A Red Sun sunflower flower up close on the plant Red Sun Branching sunflower with 5–6 inch smoky burgundy to copper flowers. Midsummer, Late summer, Fall5–6 ft (152–183 cm)
A Ruby Eclipse sunflower flower up close on the plant Ruby Eclipse Pollenless branching F1 sunflower with ruby-red, lemon-tipped 4–5 inch flowers. Midsummer, Late summer, Fall6 ft (183 cm)
A Starburst Lemon Aura sunflower flower up close on the plant Starburst Lemon Aura Pollenless branching sunflower with fully double pale yellow flowers. Early summer, Midsummer, Late summer4–5 ft (122–152 cm)
A Strawberry Blonde sunflower flower up close on the plant Strawberry Blonde Pollenless F1 branching sunflower, burgundy to pink petals with lemon tips. Midsummer, Late summer, Fall5–6 ft (152–183 cm)
A SunBuzz sunflower flower up close on the plant SunBuzz Compact F1 pot sunflower, 12–20 in. tall, with pollen-free yellow flowers. Midsummer, Late summer, Fall12–20 in (30–51 cm)
A Sunny Smile sunflower flower up close on the plant Sunny Smile Hybrid dwarf, pollenless sunflower, 15–20 in. tall, with a branching habit. Midsummer, Late summer, Fall15–20 in (38–51 cm)
A Suntastic sunflower flower up close on the plant Suntastic AAS-winning dwarf sunflower up to 20 in. tall with yellow, black-centered flowers. Midsummer, Late summer, Fall 12–20 in (30–51 cm) (estimated)
A Valentine sunflower flower up close on the plant Valentine Open-pollinated branching sunflower, 55–60 in. tall, with lemon-yellow flowers. Midsummer, Late summer, Fall4½–5 ft (140–152 cm)
A Vanilla Ice sunflower flower up close on the plant Vanilla Ice Multi-branched Helianthus debilis, about 5 ft tall, with creamy light yellow flowers. Midsummer, Late summer, Fall5 ft (152 cm)
A Velvet Queen sunflower flower up close on the plant Velvet Queen Heirloom branching sunflower with red to mahogany blooms up to 8 inches. Midsummer, Late summer, Fall5–7 ft (152–213 cm)

How to choose

  1. Decide how often you want to sow. Johnny's Selected Seeds recommends sowing single-stem types every 10 to 14 days for a steady harvest, and notes branching types give more even harvests without that schedule.

  2. Check pollen on each variety's record. Johnny's notes that its single-stem hybrids are pollenless.

  3. Compare the Height column, since branching plants take more room than single stems.

Compare side by side

Color Sunlight
Autumn Beauty Branching 8–10 ft (244–305 cm) – Midsummer, Late summer, Fall Full sun
Big Smile Branching 1–2 ft (30–61 cm) – Midsummer, Late summer, Fall Full sun
Buttercream Branching (estimated) 4–5 ft (122–147 cm) – Early summer, Midsummer, Late summer Full sun
Chocolate Cherry Branching 6–7 ft (183–213 cm) – Midsummer, Late summer, Fall Full sun
Cinnamon Sun Branching (estimated) 5–7 ft (152–213 cm) – Midsummer, Late summer, Fall Full sun
Claret Branching 6–6½ ft (180–200 cm) – Midsummer, Late summer, Fall Full sun
Evening Sun Branching 6–8 ft (183–244 cm) (estimated) – Midsummer, Late summer, Fall Full sun
Firecracker Branching 3–4 ft (91–117 cm) – Midsummer, Late summer, Fall Full sun
Giant Primrose Branching 8–12 ft (244–366 cm) – Early summer, Midsummer, Late summer Full sun
Italian White Branching 4–6 ft (122–183 cm) – Midsummer, Late summer, Fall Full sun
Jade Branching 3–4 ft (91–122 cm) – Early summer, Midsummer, Late summer Full sun
Kong Branching 13–14 ft (400–427 cm) – Early summer, Midsummer, Late summer Full sun
Lemon Queen Branching 5–7 ft (152–213 cm) – Early summer, Midsummer, Late summer Full sun
Little Becka Branching 2–3 ft (61–91 cm) – Midsummer, Late summer, Fall Full sun
Moulin Rouge Branching 5–6½ ft (152–203 cm) – Midsummer, Late summer, Fall Full sun
Orange Hobbit Branching 2½–3½ ft (76–102 cm) – Midsummer, Late summer (estimated) Full sun
Red Sun Branching 5–6 ft (152–183 cm) – Midsummer, Late summer, Fall Full sun
Ruby Eclipse Branching 6 ft (183 cm) – Midsummer, Late summer, Fall Full sun
Starburst Lemon Aura Branching 4–5 ft (122–152 cm) – Early summer, Midsummer, Late summer Full sun
Strawberry Blonde Branching 5–6 ft (152–183 cm) – Midsummer, Late summer, Fall Full sun
SunBuzz Branching (estimated) 12–20 in (30–51 cm) – Midsummer, Late summer, Fall Full sun
Sunny Smile Branching 15–20 in (38–51 cm) – Midsummer, Late summer, Fall (estimated) Full sun
Suntastic Branching (estimated) 12–20 in (30–51 cm) (estimated) – Midsummer, Late summer, Fall Full sun
Valentine Branching 4½–5 ft (140–152 cm) – Midsummer, Late summer, Fall Full sun
Vanilla Ice Branching 5 ft (152 cm) – Midsummer, Late summer, Fall Full sun
Velvet Queen Branching 5–7 ft (152–213 cm) – Midsummer, Late summer, Fall Full sun

Values marked like this (estimated) are estimates.

Frequently asked questions

Do branching sunflowers drop pollen?

Some do. Johnny's Selected Seeds describes its single-stem hybrids as pollenless, which keeps pollen off tablecloths and clothing; branching varieties differ, so check each record.

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