Velvet Queen sunflower

Velvet Queen sunflowers are a deep red and orange color, and they grow to be about five to seven feet tall. They have a velvety petal texture and are multi-branching annual sunflowers. They should be planted mid-spring to avoid frost. Velvet Queen sunflowers typically bloom in August or September and make for gorgeous cut flowers.

Velvet Queen sunflower basics

The Velvet Queen sunflower is an heirloom sunflower variety known for its rich burgundy flower petals. These stunning flowers have been grown in gardens and flower beds for decades due to their gorgeous flowers!

Unlike most sunflowers, these flowers aren’t yellow. Instead, they sport a dark burgundy color with an almost black center of the petals that sometimes fade into light orange at the tips. The brown disc floret has a ring of yellow inside all the dark seeds, helping the coloration stand out even more. They make for beautiful and interesting cut flowers.

Velvet Queen sunflowers aren’t the tallest sunflower plants out there, but they’re definitely not the shortest, either. These tall plants stop growing at five to seven feet. The flower heads can be up to eight inches in diameter.

They’re also multi-branching flowers. More than one flower will sprout off of one stalk, so if you plant one seed that sprouts, it might bloom four flowers. Four to seven flower heads are the average you can expect, but you can definitely get more to grow (dozens if you’re lucky!)

They’re also annual flowers, which might sound like they bloom every single year, but that’s not the case. Perennial flowers/plants are the ones that bloom every single year. You’ll need to plant fresh sunflower seeds every year (or allow the sunflowers to drop enough seed on the ground that some seedlings will sprout up next spring).

How to plant Velvet Queen sunflowers

These plants bloom in the summer, so they must be planted in the spring. But don’t plant them too early in the spring. Mid to late spring is the best time to plant these to keep the seeds from going through frost. They take about three months to grow.

Sometimes seeds can survive light frosts, but sunflowers like heat and don’t have much tolerance for deep cold. If you plant them too early, they might freeze before they have a chance to germinate.

Another way to avoid frost is by growing these flowers inside in pots until they germinate, which is when you can move them and replant them in your outdoor flower garden.

Unfortunately, you can’t grow sunflowers indoors for the whole year. They get too big and need at least six hours of direct sunlight to survive, so they don’t do well as houseplants.

To get them the sunlight they need, make sure to direct sow them in the sunniest spot of your garden. They don’t do well in shade, and this particular variety of sunflowers can survive through mild droughts, so don’t worry about them getting too much sun.

These flowers have an eighteen-inch spread, so planting them at least two feet apart will give each plant plenty of space to grow and spread out.

When planting the seeds, dig a hole that’s about half an inch deep. Then place one seed in the soil and cover it with soil.

How to grow Velvet Queen sunflowers

Velvet Queen sunflowers grow quite fast. They can take seventy to a hundred days to bloom, which is about ten to fourteen weeks. And, since they’re annual flowers, they will bloom in their first year (instead of taking a few years to bloom, like many perennial flowers).

The most important part of growing any plants is the sunlight and watering. Remember to water them at least once a week as long as they’re in direct sunlight for at least six hours.

When you water them, you need to make sure you’re watering deeply. Shallow watering makes the roots grow on the top level of soil, which does not allow for them to get as many nutrients, and they are more likely to be ripped out of the ground by animals or strong winds.

Deep watering is done by pouring water into the soil in the same spot for a long period of time, which sinks the water deeper into the ground. Deep watering them at least once a week will make sure the root travels further into the ground.