Dark Sunflower
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Velvet Queen is a showstopper sunflower that brings the drama of deep mahogany-red petals and a heavily black-seeded center to gardens throughout zones 4, 10. This open-pollinated heirloom annual reaches 5, 8 feet tall and produces exceptional branching stems topped with 8-inch flower heads in a rare, smokey blood-orange mahogany that seems to glow as the sun moves across the summer sky. At 100 days to maturity (though some sources report a range of 75, 109 days), it's a dependable choice for fresh-cut arrangements, ornamental display, or harvesting edible seeds, and it thrives in full sun where it can fully express its rich, velvety coloring.
Full Sun
Moderate
4-10
72in H x 24in W
Perennial
Moderate
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This is one of the most stunning sunflowers you can grow, a deep velvet red that doesn't appear in everyday gardens, paired with an intensely dark seeded center that creates real visual drama. The branching habit sets it apart from single-stemmed varieties, delivering 4, 7 flowers per plant throughout the season as they nod and sway in the sunlight. Equally at home in a cutting garden, a backyard biodiversity patch for migratory birds, or a container on a sunny patio, Velvet Queen earns its place as a permanent fixture in serious gardeners' rotations.
Velvet Queen shines as a premium cut flower for arrangements and bouquets, where its unusual deep red-mahogany petals and substantial 8-inch blooms command attention. The edible seeds, while smaller than some sunflower varieties, can be harvested, dried, and enjoyed as a snack or pressed for oil for cooking. Many gardeners grow Velvet Queen primarily for its ornamental and pollinator value, planting it to support migratory birds and create visual focal points in summer gardens, though it holds equal appeal for those who want to harvest seeds for both culinary use and replanting.
Direct sow seeds outdoors after your last spring frost date when soil has warmed. Plant seeds at the depth listed below and thin seedlings to 12 inches apart once they've developed their first true leaves.
For cut flowers, harvest blooms in early morning once petals have fully opened and the 8-inch head has achieved its rich mahogany coloring, cutting stems at a 45-degree angle and placing immediately in cool water. To harvest seeds for eating or replanting, wait until the flower head has dried on the plant and the back of the head turns brown or tan, then cut the entire head and hang it in a dry location to finish drying. The seeds will pull away easily from the dried head once fully cured, typically within 2, 4 weeks after cutting.
No pruning is necessary; the upright growth habit and natural branching tendency of Velvet Queen means the plant naturally develops multiple flowering stems without intervention. Simply allow the plant to grow to its full 5, 8 foot height and enjoy the cascading display of 4, 7 flowers per plant.
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“Velvet Queen is an open-pollinated heirloom variety, meaning its seed has been maintained and passed along through generations of gardeners who saved and replanted it for its extraordinary color and branching habit. The variety's origin story reflects the traditional seed-saving culture where gardeners recognized the exceptional qualities of a plant and ensured it survived and spread through intentional cultivation. As an heirloom that has earned permanent places in contemporary gardens, particularly among ornamental and sustainable growing communities, Velvet Queen represents a bridge between historical gardening practice and modern appreciation for distinctive, non-hybrid varieties.”