Let me start by saying that I have little experience growing sunflowers, which will change next year when we plant several acres for feed. This year i grew a packet of mixed sunflowers in my first garden in my first home. This is all new to me!
Like (most?) people i am familiar with the imagery of huge fields of giant yellow sunflowers reaching their big faces toward the sun. I have seen a million and one sunflowers in my day, and never really thought to smell them. I was impressed visually, but never aromatically by them. Maybe this is because while standing at a whopping 4'11" i am rarely nose level to a sunflower, or knee high to a grasshopper.
Well today i picked off some drying heads to save seeds of some of this years little patch i grew. These were a mixed seed, that my fiances grandmother had here in the house and i would like to keep growing them in her memory.
While i was de-seeding the giant flower i was overwhelmed by the fragrance of one of the larger flowers. It's still filling my kitchen with a smell The is almost like a carnation, with a hint of fall warmth, lol i have no idea how to describe this scent. Maybe a spicy daisy? Anyway, i was shocked to learn these have such a nice sent. I assume there must be some that smell more, or better than others. Does anyone here have experience with fragrant sunflowers?
When i plant these next year i aim to chose the most fragrant and beautiful each year in hopes of one day having my very own sunflower. Any recommendations i can plant to better my odds of having a great smelling super sunflower?
