Sunflower. We get a lot of bird, squirrel sown ones.

Sunflower, really? I'm guessing not the giant variety, then! :-)

The picture was taken at the beginning of October, after which all four flowers faded pretty fast. Maximum height probably not much over 8".

Are these likely to just be annuals, or can we expect them back next year? To be honest, they weren't exactly spectacular!

Thanks,

Piers.

They look like sunflowers to me too. I always appreciate anything sown by the birds. Probably perched on the pot to eat them, picked up from someone's bird feeder and no, I don't believe they will flower again. Look on the bright side, they're free plants and you could get some more next year.

The giant ones only get to that size because they are fed and watered and do not have much competition. In that pot they will not get as much food and water as the Dahlia will take what it needs as well.

I agree it is a sunflower. I get a few growing in tubs and it is squirrels that bury them. I suggested to OH that he gets bird seed with sunflower hearts rather than whole seed. Not taken that on board yet ;o)

they are annuals so unless you get more buried you wont get them next year.

SBG, I just have to comment on sunflower hearts which have been disappointing in my garden. I found that the little birds who feed on the feeders threw a good amount of them on to the ground. They can can be picky little creatures and I know they discard sunflower seeds too. However, the hearts, being full of protein I think, turn into a horrible smelly mess. Discarded seeds on the other hand, can be used as a mulch along with the empty husks. I noticed in my friend's garden that she had unpleasant piles of hearts so perhaps other bird-lovers find this too.

funny you should say that Merlinbd as one of my friends says she has found the hearts to be less than satisfactory. with lots going to waste on the floor and then they go mouldy. perhaps that's why OH hasn't bought them yet. Listens to her but not to me ah well!

I keep a tray beneath the sunflower heart feeder which the discarded bits fall onto. Many of the finches feed on these bits and the remainder get scraped into the bin. Still prefer to feed hearts rather than the black seeds.

Well that's interesting - I use sunflower hearts and they all get eaten, and I'd notice if they were chucked on the ground because the feeder's on my balcony. The biggest problem with them is the rate at which the birds eat them, I have to refill the tray every day when its very cold, they're very popular with the bluetits and the robin in particular. Perhaps its the variety of birds that makes a difference - being in London and on a balcony, primarily its blue and great tits, robins, sparrow, dunnock a few goldfinch and the occasional wren I see all the time, so all the little birds - other parts of the country (and not on a balcony) will have a range of other birds visiting. I have tried sunflower seeds, but they're not so popular with the birds I get here, plus they do have a tendency to germinate in the mass of pots on the balcony when dropped..

We use sunflower hearts, which the tits and finches love. They do tend to be a bit messy though. Especially in damp horrible weather - saying that way less messier than mixed seed. Niger seed was incredibly messy - stopped using it years ago. I do have to scrape up off the top step under the feeder though, every few days. Goldfinches are fussy in our garden, they only eat fresh from the feeder and never any dropped seed on the step or ground!
Nuts are a fave for our tits and sparrows.

I use Sunflower hearts too,and notice the Goldfinches are especially fussy messy eaters,but since getting a feeder with a tray underneath,there is much less wastage.The Robins ,sparrows and blue tits also enjoy them too.I found the Niger seed were a complete waste of time,even though it's suggested that they are the ones to buy to attract Goldfinches.Not in my garden they weren't !

Once I started to use Sunflower Hearts,they appeared in no time,and seeing them for the first time was wonderful:o)

I have now placed two small pieces of flat stone on the soil underneath the feeder now,so hardly any germination from any that fall ,so easily removed..I think I've cracked it ! Lol

I grow sunflowers specifically for the goldfinches - they are so much fun to watch - little acrobats. Sunflower seeds are quickly devoured by goldfinches, blue jays, sparrows, mockingbirds, grackles & woodpeckers. The cardinals and doves will take care of the seeds which fall to the ground. Nothing is wasted.

This yellow flower however, looks to me like Coreopsis - which is a cousin of the sunflowers but the goldfinches wouldn't go for these. Maybe Grandiflora, Coreopsis is a true wildflower so there is quite a variance in color and form and the seeds are easily overlooked - they look like a grain of dirt.

I had the same experience as Bloomer with the Niger seeds, the goldfinches didn't come & eat it ( it was expensive too). Now they always come for the sunflower hearts. The is never any mess from dropped food round here as there are Collared doves, Wood pigeons, Feral
pigeons, Jackdaws & lots of other ground feeders who polish off every minute crumb.

I began to think that Niger Seeds,were more of a Marketing ploy,to be honest,and yes,Feverfew, so expensive too .The times we had to throw them away,as they soon went mouldy. Seems we have all found better products for our feathered friends :o)

I just get the standard bird seed mix in bulk. It's not too expensive and has a little something for everybody. :)