Chocolate Cherry Sunflower

These delectable new sunflowers have rich chocolate-burgundy ray petals that surround dark chocolate center disks. With their beautifully shaped, velvety petals and mouthwatering rich colors, Chocolate Cherry sunflowers are a joy to behold. These special sunflowers are stunning for indoor bouquets and they are standouts in the garden. Chocolate Cherry's beautiful flowers are also pollenless, so they have a longer, cleaner vase life.
 
ANNUAL
Summer/fall bloom
Frost tender
 
TO PLANT OUTDOORS
Plant in full sun in good garden soil when weather is warm and settled both day and night and all danger of frost is past. Poke seeds into well-worked soil 1/2 inch deep and 4 to 5 inches apart. Press soil firmly over seeds and keep moist until germination in 8 to 10 days.

TO START EARLY INDOORS
Several weeks before last frost date, sow seeds 1/2 inch deep in individual pots of well-drained seed starting mix. Keep moist and provide a strong light source until ready to plant outside only when night temperatures have reached 50-55°F (10-13°C). Transplant carefully into the garden in full sun, disturbing the roots as little as possible.

THIN OR TRANSPLANT
Space seedlings 12 inches apart so plants have ample room to grow.

GROWING NOTES
Growing these flowers is easy and rewarding. Make several sowings, three weeks apart, to have a succession of bloom. Keep soil moist and well weeded and protect seedlings from hungry birds with netting or plastic berry baskets, removing before plants get crowded. Sunflowers need room! Be sure to thin seedlings when 3 inches tall to 12 inches apart.