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Herbaceous Perennial

Helianthus giganteus 'Sheila's Sunshine'

giant sunflower 'Sheila's Sunshine'

A clump-forming herbaceous perennial with rough green narrow leaves to a height of 2m. In late summer and autumn bears yellow daisy flowers with brown centres

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Ultimate height

1.5–2.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

1–1.5 metres

Sand

Loam

Clay

Chalk

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Neutral, Alkaline

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Asteraceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy, Clump forming
Genus: Helianthus can be tall, erect annuals, tuberous or rhizomatous perennials, with coarse simple leaves and large daisy-like flower-heads
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in a moderately fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained, neutral to alkaline soil in full sun. Does well in soils that don't dry out in summer. Ideal for the back of borders. May need support. See staking: perennials

Propagation

Propagate by seed or division. Divide established clumps every 2-4 years to both increase plants and retain vigour. See sowing seeds indoors for further advice

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Prairie planting
Wildlife gardens
Low Maintenance
Cut flowers
Flower borders and beds
Wall side borders

Pruning

Deadhead to prolong flowering and cut back to ground level as foliage starts to yellow and die back in autumn

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs and snails

Diseases

May be susceptible to Powdery mildews and sclerotinia diseases

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