Sunflower Paquito Lemon seeds - Helianthus annuus

Dwarf Sunflower 'Paquito Lemon' is a variety of Helianthus annuus of modest size, forming a compact plant with numerous branches, in a ball shape. It produces long-lasting flowers with lemon-yellow petals around a golden-yellow centre in summer. With rapid growth, this annual reveals its first flowers just 60 days after sowing. It adapts perfectly to pot or container cultivation, as well as to decorating low beds, borders, and sunny rockeries. By attracting bees and pollinating insects, it becomes a real ecological asset for the vegetable garden. It is easily sown in spring, directly in the ground, in any well-drained garden soil.

Helianthus annuus is the famous sunflower cultivated on a large scale for the oil extracted from its seeds. This large annual plant from the Asteraceae family, domesticated by humans for a long time, has a controversial origin, but it is native to the American continent. The hybrid variety 'Paquito Lemon' is a dwarf horticultural creation. It forms a well-branched tuft not exceeding 50 cm in all directions. Flowering usually begins in early July and can continue until late September. It is a flower head of 13 to 15 cm in diameter, composed of a corolla of lemon yellow petals or ligules surrounding a darker central disc. In the best conditions, there are 8 weeks between sowing and the start of flowering. The floral stems are short, strong, and well-branched. The foliage consists of fairly dark green, simple, heart-shaped, toothed leaves, alternate, sometimes opposite at the base. They are joined to the stem by a longer or shorter petiole and are rough to the touch.

'Paquito Lemon' sunflower is ideal for introducing children to gardening thanks to its easy cultivation, its large seeds that are easy to sow, and its modest size. Perfect for embellishing balconies, flower beds, and vegetable gardens, it attracts many beneficial helpers for gardeners. This countryside sunflower thrives simply in the sun and in moderately dry soil. It naturally integrates into the wild areas of the garden, in harmony with flowers such as cosmos, sainfoin, sweet peas, scabious and blanket flowers.

Before flowering, the plant optimises its growth by following the sun's path. This phenomenon called heliotropism has given rise to some of its common names: Heliotrope, Sunflower, Garden Sun...

An ecological asset: Throughout the summer, the honey-producing flowers of Sunflowers attract pollinating insects and butterflies to your garden. A good way to improve the ecosystem and promote fruit and vegetable production. 
The oil-rich seeds are particularly appreciated by birds (parrots, tits, doves, goldfinches, siskins, nuthatches, finches...). At the end of flowering, harvest them for winter scarcity.