I love growing sunflowers. I’m sharing the greatest sunflowers I’ve grown.
My absolute favorite was this Mongolia Giant. When it was blooming its petals weren’t overly impressive and it didn’t stand particularly straight. I wouldn’t have called it the fairest of them all. But afterwards, as the seeds formed, the center grew humongous and it became a beast. Just based on sheer size, it was my greatest. I haven’t grown them since, but I definitely intend to.
I don’t have a name for this one. And I didn’t order this one. I know you can buy sunflowers that form multiple heads like this one. But it was either a volunteer hybrid, or a funsie one that was mixed in with other seeds I ordered. Either way, it was perfect. Multiple heads, the perfect sunflower to grow if you want to be able to pass out sunflowers to your friends and family (which I absolutely do!) I didn’t share any of these, because it was obviously too beautiful to pick. And I thought the seeds I saved from it would produce the same type, but they did not.
Did you know you can eat sunflowers? ? And in my opinion, if you can eat it and you can grow it easily, you should absolutely grow it and then eat it. I wish I remembered what type this was, because it really was the perfect size for eating. This sunflower was pan fried with olive oil, minced garlic, sundried tomatoes (drizzle some of the juice from the jar on top), and salt and pepper. A few months later we cooked some on the grill, and I did prefer them that way. They take on the flavor of whatever you cook them with, so more is more. One day I’ll provide a perfected recipe. But the best time to pick sunflowers for eating is once the seeds are forming and are white and still soft. You don’t want to pick them too soon, or once the seeds have gotten to hard. They have a mild nutty flavor and I really did enjoy them. It’s the same idea as eating the kernels off corn on the cob. We should absolutely normalize eating sunflowers. You get the best of both world, huge gorgeous blooms, and then shortly after a yummy dinner side.
And just to keep these perfect sunflowers humble, I’ll leave you with this:
46 Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest. 47 And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, 48 and said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great.” – Matthew 9:46-48
-Leah