Helianthus annuus
Origin: Japan
Improvement status: Cultivar
Seeds per packet: ~25
Germination tested 11/2025: 87%
Life cycle: Annual
'Ring of Fire' is an absolutely gorgeous sunflower with bicolor ray-petals that give the full head a vibrant brown-maroon inner-ring and yellow-gold outer-ring. Plants are uniform, growing 4 to 6 feet tall, with a central flower 6-8 inches wide and smaller flowers (3-5 inches) produced on many branches all around. Possibly bred by German-based seed company Ernst Benary (we haven't yet been able to confirm this), it was honored as an All-America Selection in 2001.
Birds and bees alike will be thrilled with you for growing this stunner!
This seed comes to us from our friends Dylan Bruce and Cody Egan of Drifless Seed Supply in Wisconsin.
GROWING TIPS: Direct-sow in early spring. We don't usually have good results from transplanting sunflowers (too easy for them to get rootbound and start to bolt). Give plants room to spread their branches, a foot or two between each.
