Re: favorites that "shouldn't be" (Sunflowers)
At 03:56 PM 11/16/00 -0700, Katherine Waser wrote:
>In the summer, I really love the rather weedy native sunflowers that pop up
>here and there where the birds have planted them and where they get a bit
>of extra water. (I guess sunflowers would probably be considered
>Mediterranean?? comments??) When I go out in the mornings I often find
>bumblebees sleeping among the petals <snip>. Even better, the sunflowers
>really draw goldfinches to the garden--wonderful tiny colorful birds that hang
>upside down and peck out the seeds while chattering
>"dee-dee-dee...dee-dee-dee" back and forth to each other.
Katherine -
California has these wild sunflowers as well - I've admired them since I
was a young boy. While my wife and I were in one our trip, we saw lots of
sunflowers in Tuscany. Apparently growing sunflowers as a crop plant is
quite common, and there are various forms that 'escape' the fields and live
in the hedgerows and roadside verges, sometimes looking like 'throwbacks'
to a wilder form or perhaps a hybrid with some that are wild (either native
or naturalized). There are so many color types, and all sorts of heights
that can be found, or selected in your own garden, that I can't see why
they are not grown more. People always respond to them. Locally, they
often start growing from seed in the fall and even flower through the
periodic sunny weather we get in our mild winter. Indeed, during October
in Italy, there were many plants growing great guns, apparently recently
sprung from the earth and blooming away!
Seeds of Change offers various forms of sunflowers, some of them quite nice
http://store4.yimg.com/I/seedsofchange_1609_1295063 - Discovery Mix
http://store4.yimg.com/I/seedsofchange_1609_28380005 - Jeruselam Sunrise Lemon
http://store4.yimg.com/I/seedsofchange_1609_1343485 - Evening Sun
http://store4.yimg.com/I/seedsofchange_1609_1789767 - Tiger Eye Mixed
Many sunflowers are being bred to be 'dwarf' - why this would be considered
a desirable trait, I can't imagine. Part of the identity of these plants
is to be tallish to downright huge! It is what sets them apart in people's
minds. Ah well - go figure!
Regards,
Sean O.
h o r t u l u s a p t u s - 'a garden suited to its purpose'
Sean A. O'Hara fax (707) 667-1173 sean.ohara@groupmail.com
710 Jean Street, Oakland, CA 94610-1459, U.S.A.
