Description

Sunflower ICE CREAM (Like Italian White) 55" Cottage Garden Heirloom 200 Seeds! PRODUCT DESCRIPTION Sunflower ‘Ice Cream’ is a different species than our other sunflowers. It is a cultivar of Helianthus debilis, which is native to coastal areas of the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states. It is perennial in warmer climates but can be grown as an annual in cold climates. Creamy white blooms of this lovely branching sunflower are ringed around the center with a brighter yellow. Offset by solid dark centers, these blooms are lovely in the garden and simply stunning when included in cut flower arrangements! The unique, cream-colored flowers have chocolate centers that are surrounded by golden yellow halos. Recommended for the home garden as well as mass plantings. It attracts large numbers of native bees and butterflies, and birds will eat the seeds. Plants are drought and salt tolerant and make a good stabilizer for sandy soils. FAST FACTS LIFE CYCLE: Annual LIGHT REQUIREMENT: Full Sun PLANTING SEASON: Spring COLOR: Cream with Yellow toward Center and Brown middle PLANT HEIGHT: Up to 55 inches PLANT SPACING: 8-12 inches PLANTING DEPTH: 1/2 inch SOWING METHOD: Direct Sow WATER NEEDS: Average COLD STRATIFICATION: No HARDINESS ZONES: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 SHIPS: Year Round PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS: Sunflower ICE CREAM How to Plant ICE CREAM Sunflowers WHEN TO PLANT SUNFLOWER SEEDS It is recommended to sow your sunflower seeds directly into your garden rather than start them in starter pots. Sunflowers send down long taproots that can be stunted in small pots. Once all danger of frost has passed and both daytime and nighttime temperatures reach 55F to 60F you are ready to sow your sunflower seeds. WHERE TO PLANT SUNFLOWER SEEDS Sunflowers grow best in full-sun locations – receiving at least 6 to 8 hours of full sun exposure per day. Though sunflowers are not finicky, they do appreciate loose, well-draining soil. Choose a location that is sheltered from strong winds, perhaps along a fence or near a building. Also consider the height that the particular variety will reach. HOW TO PLANT SUNFLOWER SEEDS Once you have chosen your location, dig down to a depth of 2 inches and turn the soil over to loosen it. Many seeds, like poppies, need sun to germinate. This is not the case with sunflowers and in fact need to be pressed 1 inch deep into the soil. If left on the soil surface, more than likely birds will come and eat them before they ever get anywhere close to germination. Final spacing should be 36” apart for giant sunflowers, 24’ apart for regular-sized and 12” apart for miniature varieties. HOW TO CARE FOR SUNFLOWERS Sunflowers are usually problem-free. Plant early enough so that autumn frosts do not cut your sunflowers’ life cycle short. Too much rainfall before and after germination can cause the seeds to rot or bring on downy mildew. Be sure to seed after the rainy season to avoid this. If you would like to harvest the seeds to either re-plant next year, wait until the end of the bloom cycle. Sunflowers blooms often last 30-45 days. Toward the end of this period, the green back of the flower head will begin to turn yellow and will usually droop at this time. You will also see the seeds swelling on the face of the sunflower. Cover the flowers with paper bags to protect them from birds. Cut off the flower heads and leave inside the brown paper bag. Store this bag in a well-ventilated place like a garage until fully dry. Rub along the seeds with the palm of your hand and the seeds should fall right out into your bag, or work over a cookie sheet. Store seeds in a cool, dry environment until you are ready to reseed next year. WE SHIP FAST & FREE! Your orders ship the next business date after payment via US mail. NO TRACKING. You can add TRACKING for $3.50 additional (see shipping charges). ORDER $10+ in the same day and we will ship in a Padded Envelope with a 50+ Seed Wildflower Gift Pack (500mg) ORDER $25+ in the same day and we will ship in a First Class Package with TRACKING and two 50+ Seed Wildflower Gift Packs (500mg each) CUSTOMER SERVICE We will leave feedback for you within 48 hours of payment! Leaving Feedback for your seller. eBay guidelines: When you receive your seeds please leave a positive for us. If you have any problem at all no need to leave neutral or negative – message me and we will fix it! What should I consider before rating a seller's performance? In general, here's what you should be thinking about when leaving Feedback for a seller: Did you get what you were expecting, based on the item description? Was the item packaged appropriately (to prevent damage during shipping)? Did the seller ship the item within the timeframe indicated in the listing? (Remember that USPS is experiencing delays due to Covid.) Were the shipping and handling costs reasonable? They are FREE! If you communicated with the seller, were your questions or concerns addressed? Did the seller respond within a reasonable amount of time? Before you consider leaving a negative give the seller a chance to fix the problem. Negative Feedback directly impacts their business. If you don’t get your item within 10 working days message me directly. You do not need to do an Ebay claim – just message. Give me 48 hours to answer please and I will refund or reship. Please read the planting instructions! Some seeds require cold stratification. Some Perennials probably will not bloom until the 2nd year. Your success and happiness is our success and happiness! 30 Day Return Policy If you need to return your item, we have a 30 day return policy. Please return it in the same condition it was received.