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Flower Full Sun Moderate water

Sunflower

Written by the GrowByCity Editorial Team · Updated April 2026
2 min read

Iconic warm-season flower. A warmth-loving plant that does best between 18°C and 28°C, sunflower adapts well to tropical and subtropical conditions but cannot tolerate frost. Plant in a spot with full sun (6-8 hours of direct light daily) and provide moderate, even watering throughout the growing season. Expect blooms in approximately 70-100 days. Valued as much for its cut-flower potential as for its garden presence — stems last well in a vase.

Harvest 70-100 days
Temp Range 8°C — 35°C

Quick Answer: How to Grow Sunflower

Sunflower takes 70-100 days to harvest. It grows best in 18–28°C with full sun and moderate watering. Sunflower is not frost tolerant — wait until after the last frost to plant. It can be grown in 350 cities worldwide.

Find the best time to plant Sunflower in your city →

Growing Requirements

☀️
Sun
Full Sun
💧
Water
Moderate
❄️
Frost
Sensitive
📅
Harvest
70-100 days

Temperature Range

18-28°C
-10°C 45°C
Optimal: 18–28°C Tolerates: 8–35°C
Tropical suitable: Yes
Cities growing: 350 of 350

Growing Tips

💡

Expert Tips

Sow directly -- taproots don't transplant well. Great for kids to grow. Wait until soil warms to at least 18°C before transplanting outdoors — cold soil stunts growth and can invite root rot. Water steadily but avoid soggy soil. A 5-cm layer of organic mulch helps balance moisture and suppress weeds.

Quick Facts

  • Grows in 350 of 350 cities
  • Available in 7 regions worldwide
  • Temperature range: 8°C to 35°C
  • Optimal growing: 18°C to 28°C
  • Harvest in 70-100 days

Did You Know?

  • 🌱 Sunflower loves the heat! It thrives in tropical and subtropical climates year-round.
  • 🌱 Sunflower needs at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal growth.

Step-by-Step Growing Guide

Sunflowers are one of the easiest direct-sow annuals — they dislike root disturbance and are best sown in place after last frost once soil reaches 10°C. They grow in almost any well-drained soil at pH 6.0–7.5 but respond dramatically to good fertility. Sow seeds 2.5cm deep; for giant varieties (Mammoth, Giant Single) space 60–90cm apart; for multi-headed branching varieties, 30–45cm apart. Sunflowers are allelopathic — their roots and decaying leaves suppress nearby plants, so avoid growing amongst vegetables. Water moderately — 2.5cm per week — but water at the base to prevent leaf disease. Once established and tall, sunflowers are quite drought-tolerant. Feed at planting with a balanced fertiliser, then mid-season with a phosphorus-heavy feed (5-30-5) to support flowering. Stake giant varieties at 60cm height before they need it — wind snaps tall stems at the node. Grow in the sunniest, most sheltered spot in the garden; true full sun for 8+ hours is non-negotiable.

Common Pests & Problems

Sclerotinia stem rot (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) infects stems and flower heads in wet weather, producing fluffy white mycelium and causing plant collapse — ensure spacing and airflow, and avoid wetting stems. Sunflower moth larvae (Homoeosoma electellum) burrow into developing seed heads, destroying the interior — cover seed heads with a paper bag after petals drop if seed saving. Downy mildew (Plasmopara halstedii) yellows and distorts young plants in cool, wet springs — plant once soil is warm and use resistant varieties. Birds are the primary harvest threat — use fine netting over heads as seeds fill out.

Harvest & Storage

For cut flowers, harvest when outer petals have opened but the central disc is still tight and green — pre-dawn cutting maximises vase life. For seed harvest, wait until the back of the head turns yellow to brown and the seeds show their black-and-white striped colouring. Cut heads with 30cm of stem attached and hang upside down in a dry, ventilated space in a paper bag for 2–3 weeks. Remove seeds by rubbing heads together over a container. Store dried seeds at cool room temperature in sealed jars for up to 12 months for eating, or in the refrigerator for replanting.

Popular Varieties

Mammoth Russian is the classic giant single-headed variety reaching 3–4m with enormous heads 30–50cm wide and large, flavourful edible seeds. Velvet Queen is a multi-headed branching variety producing dozens of deep burgundy-red blooms on a single plant — stunning in cut flower arrangements. Italian White bears creamy ivory petals with a chocolate centre on branching plants 1.5m tall — unusual and elegant. Sunrich Orange is a pollen-free hybrid bred for the cut flower trade — no mess and exceptionally long vase life.

Companion Plants for Sunflower

✓ Good Companions

These plants grow well alongside Sunflower:

CucumberCornSquashLettuce

✗ Avoid Planting Near

Keep these plants away from Sunflower:

Potato

Learn more about companion planting.

Where to Grow Sunflower

Sunflower can be grown in 350 cities across 7 regions worldwide

🌍

Europe

80 cities
🌏

Asia

79 cities
🌎

North America

78 cities
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Africa

39 cities
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South America

39 cities
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Oceania

19 cities
🕌

Middle East

16 cities

🌍 Europe (80 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Aarhus, DK easy
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Amsterdam, NL easy
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Ankara, TR easy
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Antalya, TR easy
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Athens, GR easy
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Barcelona, ES easy
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Bari, IT easy
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Belgrade, RS easy
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Bergen, NO easy
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Berlin, DE easy
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Bilbao, ES easy
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Bologna, IT easy
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Bordeaux, FR easy
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Bratislava, SK easy
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Brussels, BE easy
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Bucharest, RO easy
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Budapest, HU easy
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Catania, IT easy
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Cologne, DE easy
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Copenhagen, DK easy
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Corfu, GR easy
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Cork, IE easy
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Dublin, IE easy
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Dubrovnik, HR easy
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Edinburgh, GB easy
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Florence, IT easy
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Frankfurt, DE easy
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Gdansk, PL easy
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Genoa, IT easy
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Glasgow, GB easy
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Gothenburg, SE easy
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Hamburg, DE easy
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Helsinki, FI easy
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Heraklion, GR easy
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Istanbul, TR easy
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Izmir, TR easy
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Krakow, PL easy
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Kyiv, UA easy
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Limassol, CY easy
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Lisbon, PT easy
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Ljubljana, SI easy
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London, GB easy
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Lyon, FR easy
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Madrid, ES easy
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Malaga, ES easy
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Marseille, FR easy
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Milan, IT easy
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Munich, DE easy
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Naples, IT easy
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Nice, FR easy
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Nicosia, CY easy
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Oslo, NO easy
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Palermo, IT easy
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Paris, FR easy
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Porto, PT easy
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Poznan, PL easy
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Prague, CZ easy
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Reykjavik, IS easy
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Riga, LV easy
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Rome, IT easy
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Seville, ES easy
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Sofia, BG easy
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Split, HR easy
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Stockholm, SE easy
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Strasbourg, FR easy
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Stuttgart, DE easy
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Tallinn, EE easy
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Thessaloniki, GR easy
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Tirana, AL easy
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Toulouse, FR easy
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Turin, IT easy
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Turku, FI easy
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Valencia, ES easy
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Valletta, MT easy
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Verona, IT easy
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Vienna, AT easy
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Vilnius, LT easy
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Warsaw, PL easy
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Zagreb, HR easy
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Zurich, CH easy
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🌏 Asia (79 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Ahmedabad, IN easy
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Almaty, KZ easy
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Bali, ID easy
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Bandung, ID easy
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Bangalore, IN easy
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Bangkok, TH easy
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Beijing, CN easy
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Busan, KR easy
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Cebu, PH easy
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Chandigarh, IN easy
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Chengdu, CN easy
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Chennai, IN easy
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Chiang Mai, TH easy
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Chittagong, BD easy
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Chongqing, CN easy
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Coimbatore, IN easy
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Colombo, LK easy
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Da Nang, VN easy
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Dalian, CN easy
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Davao, PH easy
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Delhi, IN easy
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Dhaka, BD easy
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Dharan, NP easy
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Fukuoka, JP easy
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Galle, LK easy
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Guangzhou, CN easy
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Hangzhou, CN easy
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Hanoi, VN easy
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Harbin, CN easy
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Ho Chi Minh City, VN easy
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Hong Kong, HK easy
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Hyderabad, IN easy
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Incheon, KR easy
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Indore, IN easy
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Islamabad, PK easy
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Jaipur, IN easy
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Jakarta, ID easy
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Jeju, KR easy
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Johor Bahru, MY easy
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Karachi, PK easy
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Kathmandu, NP easy
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Kochi, IN easy
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Kolkata, IN easy
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Kuala Lumpur, MY easy
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Kunming, CN easy
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Kyoto, JP easy
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Lahore, PK easy
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Lucknow, IN easy
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Manila, PH easy
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Mumbai, IN easy
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Nagoya, JP easy
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Nanjing, CN easy
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Nha Trang, VN easy
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Okinawa, JP easy
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Osaka, JP easy
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Pattaya, TH easy
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Penang, MY easy
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Phnom Penh, KH easy
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Pune, IN easy
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Sapporo, JP easy
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Seoul, KR easy
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Shanghai, CN easy
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Shenzhen, CN easy
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Siem Reap, KH easy
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Singapore, SG easy
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Surabaya, ID easy
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Surat, IN easy
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Taipei, TW easy
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Tashkent, UZ easy
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Tbilisi, GE easy
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Tokyo, JP easy
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Ulaanbaatar, MN easy
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Varanasi, IN easy
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Vientiane, LA easy
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Visakhapatnam, IN easy
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Wuhan, CN easy
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Xi'an, CN easy
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Xiamen, CN easy
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Yangon, MM easy
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🌎 North America (78 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Albuquerque, US easy
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Anchorage, US easy
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Atlanta, US easy
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Austin, US easy
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Baltimore, US easy
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Baton Rouge, US easy
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Boise, US easy
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Boston, US easy
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Bridgetown, BB easy
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Buffalo, US easy
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Calgary, CA easy
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Cancun, MX easy
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Charleston, US easy
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Charlotte, US easy
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Chattanooga, US easy
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Chicago, US easy
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Denver, US easy
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Des Moines, US easy
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Detroit, US easy
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Edmonton, CA easy
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El Paso, US easy
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Fargo, US easy
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Fresno, US easy
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Guadalajara, MX easy
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Halifax, CA easy
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Hartford, US easy
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Havana, CU easy
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Honolulu, US easy
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Houston, US easy
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Jacksonville, US easy
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Kansas City, US easy
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Kingston, JM easy
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Knoxville, US easy
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Las Vegas, US easy
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Little Rock, US easy
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Los Angeles, US easy
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Louisville, US easy
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Lubbock, US easy
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Madison, US easy
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Memphis, US easy
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Mexico City, MX easy
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Miami, US easy
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Milwaukee, US easy
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Minneapolis, US easy
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Monterrey, MX easy
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Montreal, CA easy
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Nashville, US easy
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New Orleans, US easy
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New York, US easy
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Oaxaca, MX easy
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Oklahoma City, US easy
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Omaha, US easy
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Ottawa, CA easy
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Panama City, PA easy
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Phoenix, US easy
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Pittsburgh, US easy
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Portland, US easy
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Puebla, MX easy
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Quebec City, CA easy
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Raleigh, US easy
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Richmond, US easy
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Sacramento, US easy
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Salt Lake City, US easy
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San Diego, US easy
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San Francisco, US easy
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San Jose, CR easy
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Santo Domingo, DO easy
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Saskatoon, CA easy
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Savannah, US easy
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Seattle, US easy
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Spokane, US easy
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St. Louis, US easy
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Tampa, US easy
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Toronto, CA easy
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Tucson, US easy
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Vancouver, CA easy
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Victoria, CA easy
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Winnipeg, CA easy
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🌍 Africa (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abidjan, CI easy
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Accra, GH easy
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Addis Ababa, ET easy
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Algiers, DZ easy
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Antananarivo, MG easy
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Arusha, TZ easy
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Bamako, ML easy
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Bloemfontein, ZA easy
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Cairo, EG easy
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Cape Town, ZA easy
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Casablanca, MA easy
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Dakar, SN easy
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Dar es Salaam, TZ easy
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Douala, CM easy
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Durban, ZA easy
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Entebbe, UG easy
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Fez, MA easy
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Freetown, SL easy
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Harare, ZW easy
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Johannesburg, ZA easy
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Kampala, UG easy
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Kigali, RW easy
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Kinshasa, CD easy
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Lagos, NG easy
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Libreville, GA easy
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Lilongwe, MW easy
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Lome, TG easy
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Luanda, AO easy
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Lusaka, ZM easy
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Maputo, MZ easy
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Marrakech, MA easy
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Mombasa, KE easy
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Nairobi, KE easy
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Ouagadougou, BF easy
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Port Louis, MU easy
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Pretoria, ZA easy
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Tunis, TN easy
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Windhoek, NA easy
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Zanzibar, TZ easy
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🌎 South America (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Arequipa, PE easy
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Asuncion, PY easy
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Barranquilla, CO easy
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Belem, BR easy
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Bogota, CO easy
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Brasilia, BR easy
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Buenos Aires, AR easy
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Cali, CO easy
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Campinas, BR easy
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Caracas, VE easy
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Cartagena, CO easy
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Concepcion, CL easy
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Cordoba, AR easy
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Curitiba, BR easy
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Cusco, PE easy
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Fortaleza, BR easy
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Georgetown, GY easy
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Goiania, BR easy
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Guayaquil, EC easy
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La Paz, BO easy
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Lima, PE easy
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Manaus, BR easy
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Medellin, CO easy
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Mendoza, AR easy
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Montevideo, UY easy
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Paramaribo, SR easy
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Port of Spain, TT easy
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Porto Alegre, BR easy
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Quito, EC easy
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Recife, BR easy
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Rio de Janeiro, BR easy
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Rosario, AR easy
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Salvador, BR easy
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Santa Cruz, BO easy
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Santiago, CL easy
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Sao Paulo, BR easy
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Sucre, BO easy
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Trujillo, PE easy
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Valparaiso, CL easy
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🌊 Oceania (19 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Adelaide, AU easy
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Alice Springs, AU easy
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Auckland, NZ easy
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Brisbane, AU easy
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Cairns, AU easy
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Canberra, AU easy
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Christchurch, NZ easy
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Darwin, AU easy
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Dunedin, NZ easy
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Gold Coast, AU easy
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Hamilton, NZ easy
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Hobart, AU easy
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Melbourne, AU easy
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Noumea, NC easy
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Perth, AU easy
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Suva, FJ easy
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Sydney, AU easy
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Townsville, AU easy
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Wellington, NZ easy
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🕌 Middle East (16 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abu Dhabi, AE easy
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Amman, JO easy
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Baghdad, IQ easy
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Beirut, LB easy
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Doha, QA easy
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Dubai, AE easy
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Erbil, IQ easy
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Jeddah, SA easy
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Kuwait City, KW easy
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Manama, BH easy
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Muscat, OM easy
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Riyadh, SA easy
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Sana'a, YE easy
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Tabriz, IR easy
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Tehran, IR easy
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Tel Aviv, IL easy
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When should I plant sunflower in my city?

The best time to plant sunflower depends on your local climate zone. It thrives in temperatures between 18°C and 28°C. Wait until after the last frost in your area. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact dates.

Can I grow sunflower in winter?

Sunflower is not frost tolerant and cannot survive winter outdoors in most temperate climates. In tropical areas (USDA Zones 10+), it may grow year-round.

Get Sunflower Seeds & Plants

Ready to start growing? Find Sunflower seeds and starter plants online.

Shop on Burpee Search on Amazon

People Also Search For

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Similar Growing Requirements

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Cucumber

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🥬

Zucchini

Vegetable · Full Sun

18-27°C

Frequently Asked Questions about Sunflower

When should I plant sunflower?

The best time to plant sunflower depends on your local climate. Sunflower grows best in temperatures between 18°C and 28°C (can tolerate 8°C to 35°C). Sunflower is not frost tolerant, so wait until after the last frost in your area. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact planting months.

Can sunflower grow in tropical climates?

Yes! Sunflower can grow in tropical climates. It's successfully grown in tropical cities like Abidjan, Abu Dhabi, Accra. Sunflower requires full sun and moderate watering.

How long does sunflower take to grow?

Sunflower typically takes 70-100 days from planting to harvest. It requires full sun and moderate watering. Sow directly -- taproots don't transplant well. Great for kids to grow. Wait until soil warms to at least 18°C before transplanting outdoors — cold soil stunts growth and can invite root rot. Water steadily but avoid soggy soil. A 5-cm layer of organic mulch helps balance moisture and suppress weeds.

Find the Best Time to Plant Sunflower

See the planting calendar for Sunflower in these popular cities:

London, GBMumbai, INNew York, USParis, FRSingapore, SGSydney, AUTokyo, JPToronto, CA

Last updated: March 2026 · Climate data from NOAA, FAO, USDA

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