Edible Sunflower Seeds (Helianthus annuus)

Bring bold beauty and flavor to your garden with Edible Sunflower (Helianthus annuus). This classic giant produces tall stems topped with golden-yellow blooms and plump, edible seeds. Both ornamental and practical, sunflowers are perfect for brightening garden spaces while providing a nutritious harvest for roasting or snacking.

How to Grow

• Sow seeds directly outdoors from mid-spring after the last frost.

• Choose fertile, well-drained soil in a sunny, sheltered spot.

• Sow seeds 1.5–2.5 cm deep, spacing plants 30–45 cm apart.

• Keep soil moist until seedlings are established.

• Harvest seeds once the flower heads turn brown and dry.

Key Features

• Produces tall, golden blooms and edible seeds

• Dual-purpose: ornamental and nutritious

• Seeds perfect for roasting and healthy snacking

• Easy to grow and pollinator-friendly

• Adds height and drama to garden borders and allotments

Ideal For

• Home gardens, borders, and allotments

• Harvesting seeds for roasting or snacks

• Attracting pollinators and beneficial wildlife

• Gardeners seeking both beauty and practicality

Sowing

• Best time: Mid to late spring outdoors

• Depth: 1.5–2.5 cm

• Spacing: 30–45 cm apart

• Prefers full sun and fertile, well-drained soil

Quick Tip

• Cover ripening flower heads with netting to protect seeds from birds before harvest.