What should I know about sunflowers?
The Short Answer
Sunflowers bring instant warmth, a cheerful farmhouse charm, and a sturdy vase life of up to two weeks. They peak in Michigan from midsummer into early fall and are one of the friendliest, most affordable ways to make someone smile.
Ready to order? Explore fresh, professionally designed arrangements available for local delivery through Bentley Florist.
Pure sunshine on a stem
Nothing says happiness quite like a sunflower. Native to North America and cultivated for centuries, they carry associations of loyalty, adoration, and optimism. Their sheer size and golden color make them impossible to ignore, and young sunflowers famously turn to follow the sun across the sky. That open, generous face is exactly why people love giving them. At Bentley Florist we reach for sunflowers when someone wants an arrangement that feels bright, unpretentious, and full of life, whether for a get-well wish, a rustic wedding, or a simple thinking-of-you gesture.
More than one kind of sunflower
The classic tall sunflower with a golden ring of petals around a dark brown center is what most people picture, but there is real variety. Some cultivars have a green or yellow center rather than brown, teddy bear sunflowers are fluffy and fully double, and there are branching types in rich mahogany, bronze, and rusty red that are gorgeous for autumn designs. Sizes range from dinner-plate giants to petite blooms perfect for mixing. Our designers often combine sunflowers with roses, greenery, and seasonal accents to soften their boldness and make a more finished, giftable arrangement.
Michigan's late-summer favorite
Sunflowers are the signature bloom of a Michigan late summer. Locally grown stems flood the market from roughly July through September, and many Genesee County farm stands and u-pick fields brim with them in August. That local abundance makes them a fantastic value in season and gives them a genuine farm-fresh appeal. They are a natural fit for fall weddings, harvest celebrations, and any design that wants to capture that end-of-summer golden light. If you love the look, late summer and early autumn are absolutely the time to order.
Care and the occasions they suit
Sunflowers are hardy but heavy drinkers, so keep the vase well filled and change the water often, since their thick stems can foul it quickly. Recut the stems and strip lower leaves as with any flower. A sturdy tall vase helps support their large heads. They are perfect for get-well and cheer-up gifts, birthdays, housewarmings, and rustic celebrations, and a generous sunflower arrangement typically runs $50 to $110 in our area. Because they are cheerful rather than somber, we usually steer away from them for traditional sympathy work, though for a celebration of a sunny, upbeat life they can be a heartfelt, personal tribute.
Planning Tips From Our Designers
- Keep the vase well filled, since sunflowers drink heavily.
- Change the water often to keep thick stems from fouling it.
- Use a tall, sturdy vase to support large heads.
- Order locally grown stems from July through September.
- Mix with roses and greenery for a more finished gift.
- Choose bronze and mahogany types for autumn designs.
Ready to send something beautiful?
Bentley Florist offers same-day delivery throughout Burton, Flint, and Genesee County — arranged by hand, delivered with care.
Order From Bentley FloristKeep Exploring