Helianthus annuus Florenza | Sunflower

A striking branching sunflower with rusty-red and warm yellow flowers, excellent stem quality and a subtle chocolate fragrance – an exceptional variety for cut flower gardens and professional flower production.

Helianthus annuus 'Florenza' is an eye-catching ornamental sunflower prized for its unusual colouring, strong stems and excellent performance as a cut flower.

The flowers feature a rich rusty-red ring surrounding a dark centre, beautifully contrasted by soft yellow petal tips. This warm, vintage-inspired colour combination makes Florenza particularly attractive for late-summer and autumn bouquets.

An additional feature is its mild chocolate-like fragrance, adding another dimension to this unusual sunflower.

Florenza has a naturally branching habit, producing lateral shoots and multiple flowers from each plant. Strong, straight stems provide excellent support, while the flower heads are held well without excessive drooping. Plants also produce relatively few and small leaves, making stems cleaner and easier to harvest and prepare for bouquets.

Please note that Florenza produces pollen.

Why Choose Florenza?

• Extraordinary rusty-red and soft yellow colouring
• Dark central disc surrounded by a rusty-red ring
• Soft yellow petal tips create beautiful contrast
• Subtle chocolate-like fragrance
• Excellent stem quality for cut flowers
• Strong, straight stems
• Flower heads remain well supported
• Naturally branching habit
• Multiple flowers from one plant
• Relatively small and sparse foliage
• Easy to harvest and prepare for floristry
• Excellent for late-summer and autumn bouquets
• Open-pollinated variety

Plant Information

• Botanical name: Helianthus annuus
• Common name: Sunflower
• Variety: Florenza
• Flower colour: Rusty red with soft yellow petal tips and dark centre
• Flower size: Up to approx. 12 cm
• Plant height: Approx. 110 cm
• Growth habit: Upright, branching
• Life cycle: Annual
• Days to maturity: Approx. 70–80 days
• Exposure: Full sun
• Seed form: Raw seed
• Hybrid status: Open pollinated
• Pollen: Yes
• Use: Cut flowers, bouquets, flower beds and garden planting

Sowing

Direct Sowing

Direct sowing is recommended. Sow outdoors after the last frost when the soil has warmed.

Sow seeds approximately 1–1.5 cm deep in fertile, well-drained soil in a sunny position.

Germination usually takes approximately 5–14 days at temperatures around 18–24°C.

For a continuous supply of flowers throughout summer and early autumn, make succession sowings every 2–3 weeks.

Sowing for Transplanting

For an earlier crop, seeds can be started indoors approximately 2–3 weeks before planting outdoors.

Sow individually into cells or small pots and transplant when plants have developed approximately two true leaves.

Sunflowers dislike excessive root disturbance, so avoid keeping seedlings in small containers for too long.

Growing & Care

Florenza performs best in full sun and light, fertile, well-drained soil.

Water consistently, particularly during dry periods. Avoid allowing plants to dry out severely, as this can affect foliage and flower quality.

Avoid excessive nitrogen fertilization. Too much nitrogen can encourage overly vigorous vegetative growth and may negatively affect flower quality.

Because Florenza is naturally branching, provide enough space for lateral shoots to develop.

Pinching

For cut flower production, pinching the main growing point can encourage stronger branching and the production of more usable flowering stems.

If growing primarily for branching and multiple stems, pinching young plants can therefore be beneficial.

Harvesting for Cut Flowers

Florenza is particularly well suited to cut flower production because of its strong, straight stems and manageable foliage.

Flowers can be harvested when the petals are just beginning to open and the characteristic colour is clearly visible. They can also be harvested at a more open stage depending on the intended use.

Cut during the cooler part of the day and place stems immediately into clean water.

Regular harvesting encourages continued development of flowers on the lateral branches.

For a Longer Harvest

Florenza matures in approximately 70–80 days under suitable growing conditions.

For a continuous supply of fresh sunflowers, sow new batches every 2–3 weeks from spring into early summer.

This makes Florenza particularly useful for cut flower farms and cutting gardens, where a steady succession of harvestable stems is desirable.

Perfect For

• Cut flower production
• Flower farms
• Cutting gardens
• Summer bouquets
• Late-summer arrangements
• Autumn-inspired bouquets
• Cottage gardens
• Flower beds and borders
• Pollinator-friendly gardens

Helianthus annuus 'Florenza' is an exceptional sunflower for anyone looking for something beyond traditional yellow varieties. Its rusty-red ring, soft yellow petal tips, dark centre and subtle chocolate fragrance create a sophisticated vintage look, while its branching habit and excellent stem quality make it especially valuable for cut flower production.