Skip to Content

Teddy Bear Sunflowers – A Cuddly Giant Flower

I love all sorts of sunflowers.  They are my daughter’s favorite flower and I plant them in all of my garden beds each year. 

I have some in my test garden that are about 7 feet tall right now and still not opened. 

I plant the large yellow type and rust colored ones too, but I have never had a chance to plant these beautiful teddy bear sunflowers.

How to grow Teddy Bear Sunflowers

Image adapted from a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license photo. Photographer Mike Peel.

Unusual Teddy Bear sunflowers.

The beautiful thing about these plants is the huge and round blossoms that it puts out. The variety is called a Teddy Bear sunflower and it is just gorgeous.

The image below is by photographer Pamela Nocentini who has captured one in all its glory.

Teddy Bear SunflowerThe plant is an annual, sown from seed each year in the spring. Helianthus annuus is the botanical name.  Like all sunflowers, it will need staking to support the heads.

Kids really love this Teddy Bear sunflower. This unusual member of the sunflower family is unlike regular types. It has cuddly-looking, 4-5 inch fully-doubled yellow flowers that are held up on sturdy dwarf plants 2 1/2-3 feet tall.

  • Full Sun
  • Sow seeds in April to May.
  • Days to germination 7-14.
  • Water deeply but infrequently.
  • Amend soil with organic matter.
  • Do not over fertilize or the stems may break.

Some of the links below are affiliate links. I earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you if you purchase through an affiliate link.

One source that I have found for the seeds is Territorial Seed Company. I have also seen seeds for sale for this plant on Amazon.  

There is also a dwarf version of the teddy bear sunflower.  It does not have quite the same puffy blossom but is still very pretty.

This variety grows to about 3 feet tall so is quite manageable.dwarf teddy bear sunflower

I have not tried to grow this plant from seeds from either company. If you do, please let us know how they germinate in the comments below.

When fall rolls around, I combine sunflowers with pumpkins in a unique no carve sunflower pumpkin display. Check it out!

Share on Social Media

Ione

Wednesday 22nd of June 2022

Have planted teddy bear sunflowers for years, my mom loved them. Burbee sells them. I plant tons of them. Unfortunately the deer love them too.

Char

Friday 23rd of July 2021

My daughter purchased a pack of mixed sunflower seeds and gave me a seedling. What a spectacular surprise to see a blooming teddy bear sunflower. The first bloom is gorgeous and several large buds to come. Haven’t measured it yet, I’d say 7 feet and growing.

Jalayne

Wednesday 2nd of June 2021

I purchased some dwarf teddy bear seeds online and they did great. I live in Zone 9. I really like the way it looks in the flower bed.

Melissa

Tuesday 4th of May 2021

I germinated some-very easy to do. Mine are inky about 4-5 inches tall thus far. I germinated about 5 different varieties! I had no idea they would look like these though-can’t wait to see them bloom!

Amy Voborsky

Sunday 21st of March 2021

Found seeds at menards.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small commission from the sale, but the price is the same for you. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."