By Roger
Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
Why hasen't this sun flower got the normal centre with all the seeds in it, is it a different type of Sun Flower ?
- 7 Sep, 2010
Answers
Hi
It looks like a Helianthus annuus (Teddy Bear Sunflower) in which case its perfectly fine and a beauty at that too.
http://www.thompson-morgan.com/seeds1/product/6306/2.html
Steve
7 Sep, 2010
It also might be 'Orange Sun', another fully double form of sunflower. The difference: 'Teddy Bear' is semi dwarf (about 1 1/2 m), and has multiple flowers; 'Orange Sun' is tall, and has one flower. There are also other double varieties that I am less familiar with. If you were expecting regular sunflowers, it is probably just a mistake on the part of the seedsman. It will produce seeds, but they are likely to be small and funny-flavored.
7 Sep, 2010
This looks like the group that is a hybrid sterile. They are labled as pollen-free and are actually male, so no seeds.
7 Sep, 2010
Roger, Wylie's post got me researching, and here is what I found:
So far, the only hybrid sterile forms I have found are male sterile, or pollen-free forms, which only have female parts, and can produce seeds if pollinated with a normal variety--sorry Wylie!
'Orange Sun', and 'Teddy Bear' are both offered by Seed Savers Exchange, which only deals with self pollinated heirloom varieties, not hybrids.
I still don't know exactly which variety yours is, so there is still more to learn, there.
No disrespect intended, Wylie!
7 Sep, 2010
His look a lot like the sterile forms offered by Stokes. Roger is in Britain, but T & M have a lot of the same varieties. They mention that they are day-length neutral. I guess I interpreted male sterile the wrong way.
7 Sep, 2010
don't know but it is a beauty.
7 Sep, 2010