Wanted: small sunflower variety that won't fall over

[OhioGuy]

I grew sunflowers this year, and as usual, they fell over.

I think it must have something to do with breeding. Over the ages, people bred them to have larger and larger flowers, which in turn makes them more likely to fall over.

However, I recall having to pull some of these things out of my Grandfather's field as weeds when I was a teenager. He grew them one year, and they volunteered the next year in his soybeans.

The ones I would like get only about 3 to 4 feet tall, and have a single small head about 5" wide.

Anybody know where to get seeds of something like this? Thanks!

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Try

[Jangchub]

I don't know if Burpee sells it, but a variety called 'Teddy Bear' is a dwarf height, but nice size flower.

[Jim Kingdon]

There are a bunch of sunflower varieties at:

of them approximate your description (to one extent or another), others quite clearly say they are likely to need staking. Haven't successfully grown sunflowers myself, though.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

> Some of them approximate your description (to one extent or another),

Staking indeed. Buy a stake, use it for 10 years or so. What a concept!

[beecrofter]

Already posted- Teddy Bear variety or grow the taller ones in groups of 3 like the legs of a stool and tie them together. Common causes of lodgeing are planting too close and stem borers.

[MLW]

Wildseed Farms has a good assortment of sunflowers, including the Teddy Bear variety.

[William Wagner]

I like these almost for the soft texture of the skin. Grow 3 or 4 foot around here.

here is a URL to give you an image.

Bill