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12.06.2023 - 00:59 / gardenerspath.com / Rose Kennedy
Tips for Growing Black Oil Sunflowers in the Home GardenYou take the amber waves of grain. I think the most beautiful farm view in America is a glorious field of blooming black oil sunflowers.
This variety of Helianthus annuus, the common sunflower, is the most popular type for commercial growers involved in vegetable oil production.
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But these beauties have a place in the home garden, too.
To begin with, they’re iconic, an emblem of summer, whether you plant a whole patch in rows or a couple in a container.
They’re also easy to grow, reliable about blooming, and a wonderful source of food for songbirds and other wildlife.
Their high oil content is appreciated by birds like cardinals, yellow finches, and wrens.
The seeds are also smaller than the “confection” seeds grown for humans to eat, such as ‘Mammoth Russian.’ That and their thin shells make black oil seeds easier for smaller birds to consume.
I’d like to introduce you to this multi-purpose sunflower, and sing its praises. Here’s what I’ll cover:
What Are Black Oil Sunflowers?Black oil or oilseed sunflowers are annuals that reach five to seven feet tall and produce bright yellow flowers that are four to eight inches in diameter.
Like others of their species, the plants actually form two types of flowers. What we know as the petals around the “face” are technically ray flowers, while the center is made up of literally hundreds of separate disk flowers.
Those lovely seeds form from the disk flowers, and are known as achenes. Oilseed sunflower seeds are black, and as mentioned, have a higher oil content than the striped ones we enjoy as a snack.
They are grown
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