Page 109 - South Mississippi Living - July, 2026

The following sunflowers are best for South Mississippi:
Native/Perennial:
• Swamp Sunflower – A dependable, native plant that
blooms from August until first frost. It is excellent for the area, blooming in the fall with 5–6’ tall stalks that tolerate moist to wet, heavy soils.
Cut Flowers (Pollenless):
• ProCut series (Horizon, Orange, White Nite) – These
sunflowers mature in 50–60 days and are great for bouquets.
Large/Giant:
• Mammoth or Sunspot – These can grow over 10 feet tall,
providing a classic, massive bloom.
Branching/Color Varieties:
• Autumn Beauty – This variety produces 6-inch blooms in
yellow, red, and burgundy.
• Teddy Bear – These dwarf, fluffy, sunflowers are perfect
for pots.
• Downy Sunflower – Another excellent native perennial
option often found in South Mississippi and noted for being easy to grow. These beautiful midsummer to early fall perennials have large, showy yellow flowers that do not emit a strong fragrance.
• Black Oil Sunflowers – This early-blooming
option grows easily, often maturing earlier than other tall types. The black seeds are meatier and contain more oil than most other sunflowers. Grown primarily for oil production and the seed is used to feed a variety of birds.
Most sunflowers bloom in about 50 days, but it’s a good idea to check the number of days to bloom for the variety you want to plant. I hope this article encourages you to plant some “sunnies.” of your own.
Happy summer and happy gardening!
Gaye Winter, Ph.D., teaches English at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and is currently serving as Historian of the Biloxi Garden Club. Reach her at gaye.winter@mgccc.edu.
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