The ornamental sunflower is an annual herbaceous plant. Its sunny flowers will decorate any site. There are more than 150 varieties of sunflower, which makes it possible for each gardener to choose flowers to his own taste.
OFheliantus differs from an agricultural species in saturated sunny flowers. It is grown to create a unique rustic flavor on the site.
Quite often, sunflowers can be planted for:
- creating a hedge around the fence;
- vases;
- creating bouquet arrangements;
- flower garden decorations.
The heliantus hedge The most popular varieties of sunflower
The most popular varieties of heliantuses should include:
- Teddy bear .The annual plant has a compact size( up to 1 m) and blooms with fairly large double flowers, painted in bright yellow tones. The flowering period is delayed until the fall.
- Red Sun .Variety of sunflower, which has bright petals of red-brown shades. Plant height reaches 2 m, and the flowering period is long enough
- Vanilla Ice is grown to create bouquets. Flowers have a delicate vanilla color and very favorably emphasize the tenderness of the flower composition.
- Moulin Rouge .Sunflower with an unusual color scheme. Petals of maroon-red tones closer to the edges brighten, and to the middle part of the flowers become very dark.
- Kong - the highest representative of the sunflower. The plant reaches a height of 5 m. As a rule, such plants are planted near fences and tied up, as with strong gusts of wind, sunflowers break. This variety produces remarkable and colorful hedges.
- Little Bear .In this variety, the flowers look incredibly rich - terry, fluffy with a bright yellow shade, they look spectacular in flower arrangements.
- Orange sun .The ornamental sunflower begins its flowering period in July and pleases with its dark red flowers until September. It should be borne in mind that the plant loves open sunny areas. It tolerates drought well and loves sunny warm days.
Teddy Bear 
Red Sun 
Vanilla Ice 
Moulin Rouge 
Kong 
Little Bear 
Orange Sun This is the topic This topic This topic will take place and this will be held by this program. Choosing a place, you should remember that the best places for planting a decorative sunflower are the following: - protected from gusts of wind;
- located under the open sky;
- with a good level of drainage.
The decorative sunflower cannot grow on the soil of high acidity .Planting seeds is possible from the first days of May to mid-July .
Sprouted sunflower seeds When planting a gelantus, it is necessary to strictly observe the sowing technology:
- First of all, is soaking seeds. To do this, wrap them in a material impregnated with infusion of wood resin. A recipe of infusion - per liter of warm water will require a couple of Art.ash.
- Digging holes, the depth of which reaches 5.5-6 cm .
- We dive into each well a few seeds of 2-2.5 cm.
- The distance between sprouts should be approximately 45-50 cm , depending on the variety. The largest varieties should be placed at a distance of 70 cm from each other .
- Rows should be located at a distance of 70-80 cm .
- After sowing the beds should be rolled.
- The first seedlings emerge after 7-11 days.
Decorative flower care
Decorative sunflowers require timely care:
- Flowers should be watered enough often and abundantly , since the root of an annual plant reaches a depth of 2-2.5 m. In hot weather, the soil is moistened several times a day. It is especially important to water the plants before the period of full formation of 4 pairs of foliage, budding and flowering.
- Helianthus requires enhanced power .For these purposes, you should purchase granulated superphosphate, which will need to feed the sunflower and water it abundantly at the time of development of 5 leaflets. As soon as the baskets begin to form, the plant is fertilized with a mullein extract in a ratio of 1:10.Potassium sulfate is also added. If bubbles begin to form on the foliage of the gelantus, it is necessary to feed the plant with a boron-containing solution.
- Periodically, it is necessary to inspect the condition of the plantings in order to timely detect the activity of pests or the onset of the development of the disease.
- is required every 7-10 days to loosen the soil and remove the weeds.
Watering decorative sunflower should be carried out frequently and abundantly. For these purposes, the Apron and the Cruiser are excellent.
Helianthus can strike and viral infections :
- mosaic;
- greening of inflorescences.
Sunflower broomrape This disease is transmitted by insects. Also, broomrape ( a parasitic-type flowering plant with a completely missing root system) can seriously harm the development of a solar flower. Broomrape shoots are fully embedded in the roots of sunflowers and feed at their expense.
When growing helianthuses, one should beware of the following pests :
- aphid;
- hopper beetle larvae;
- bedbugs;
- weevils;
- wireworm;
- meadow moths.
For the destruction of pests, it is advisable to use insecticidal and acaricidal preparations, which include Agravertin, Volley, Akarin .
Application in landscape design and combination with other plants
When using colors of 2-3 types of different heights, you can make up with bright colors of a heliantus colorful flowerbed .Having landed the compact sunflower varieties along the edges of the garden paths can make them especially amazing during the daytime. High species of sunflower will be an excellent hedge .
When decorating a flower bed, you should consider the basic rules of landscape design:
- It is better to plant yellow inflorescences of plants next to the flowers of blue, violet and white shades.
- Decorative sunflowers will create a unique composition in combination with chrysanthemum, chamomile, white liatris, lavender and delphinium. If desired, you can add a composition of wild flowers of bright colors.
Fence with sunflower 
Flowerbed 
Bouquet with sunflower In recent years, the sunflower has gained widespread popularity of in creating bouquets of .When composing the composition, chic solar inflorescences complement asters, gladioli, chrysanthemums and roses. The main advantage of the use of sunflowers in bouquets is the preservation of its freshness over a long period of time.
Growing decorative sunflowers does not require much time and physical costs. The most important thing is not to forget about systematic watering of plants, weeding beds and loosening the soil.
Once the inflorescences have wilted, they can be removed with a knife. After that, the helicantus should be cut to the root of the .If desired, you can collect seeds for the following planting.
Unpretentious plants of extraordinary beauty will emphasize the individuality of the garden plot. Solar inflorescences will please every day with their views of the owners, and create a cozy homely atmosphere.
