Helianthus annuus
Origin: North America via Russia
Improvement status: Cultivar
Seeds per packet: ~30
Germination tested 10/2025: 94%
Life cycle: Annual
Mammoth Grey Stripe' is the most well-known sunflower in American gardens. It's believed to have been brought here by Russian immigrants generations ago, but of course sunflowers are indigenous to this continent (the most important crop, measured by volume grown around the world today, domesticated by indigenous peoples in eastern North America). This variety is one of the first crops EFN co-founder Nate ever grew, as a tiny child. Plants can easily grow to 12 feet tall, and ripe seedheads can be a foot across. This is a high yielding variety for growing your own seeds for snacking — or for feeding happy birds and squirrels!
