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Sungold Dwarf Sunflower is a cheerful, compact sunflower that grows just 24 to 36 inches tall, making it perfect for borders and cutting gardens where full-size varieties feel out of scale. Hardy across zones 2 through 11, this non-GMO annual produces a profusion of soft, bushy yellow blooms that look almost as huggable as a teddy bear. From seed to flower in 80 to 89 days, it's one of the easiest sunflowers to grow, thriving in full sun with moderate water and neutral soil. Gardeners love it for its reliability, cheerful personality, and genuine appeal as both a landscape feature and market-quality cut flower.
Full Sun
Moderate
2-11
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High
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Sungold dwarfs pack an enormous amount of personality into a compact frame. Each plant bristles with multiple bushy yellow flowers rather than a single statement bloom, creating a fuller, softer appearance than taller varieties. The flowers have an almost irresistible tactile appeal, looking so plush and gentle that you genuinely want to touch them. For cut arrangements, these blooms hold their form beautifully and have earned respect among flower market growers for their commercial-grade quality despite their diminutive stature.
Sungold Dwarf Sunflowers excel as cut flowers, both for home arrangements and professional market production. Their compact height and abundant blooms make them natural choices for garden borders, container displays, and small-space gardens. Children particularly enjoy growing them as both a first gardening project and a source of joy throughout the growing season.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before your last spring frost, sowing them in seed-starting mix at the depth specified below. Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged, maintaining temperatures between 50 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit for reliable germination.
Harden off seedlings over 7 to 10 days by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions, then transplant after all danger of frost has passed. Space plants 12 inches apart in full sun with well-draining soil adjusted to a pH of 6.0 to 7.5.
Direct sow seeds outdoors after the last spring frost date when soil temperature reaches at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Sow seeds at the depth specified below, pressing gently into the soil, and keep the seedbed evenly moist until germination occurs in 7 to 10 days.
Cut flowers for arrangements when blooms are fully open and petals show their vibrant yellow color. Harvest in early morning when stems are fully hydrated, cutting at least 8 to 10 inches of stem to ensure lasting power in the vase. For dried seeds, allow flowers to mature on the plant until the back of the head turns brown and seeds pull free easily from the disk.
Deadhead spent flower heads regularly to promote continuous blooming and maintain the plant's bushy, productive appearance throughout the season.
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“Sungold Dwarf Sunflower, also known by the endearing name 'Teddy Bear,' represents a deliberate breeding effort to bring sunflower appeal into smaller garden spaces and containers. By selecting for compact plant architecture and abundant flowering habit, breeders created a variety that maintains the unmistakable sunflower character while fitting seamlessly into borders and window boxes where standard sunflowers would dominate. This cultivar has become a staple in home gardens and commercial cut flower production precisely because it solves a real design problem: how to grow sunflowers when you don't have room for a six-foot giant.”