Venidium

If you love sunflowers, but want something a bit more delicate but packs with flowerheads, Venidium is the flower you’ve been searching for.

Sow indoors between February and April in individual 9cm pots. Sow 2 seeds per pot, 1cm deep in compost. Discard the weakest seedling after germination. Grow on until the risk of frost has passed, gradually aclimatising the plants before planting out.

Alternatively from April to June sow seeds thinly, 1cm deep in drills 30cm apart in well cultivated soil raked to a fine tilth. When large enough to handle, thin seedlings to 30cm apart.

Venidium are a low maintenance plant, once in a sunny spot, avoid overwatering, and enjoy its vibrant show throughout the season.

 Venidium give multiple flowerheads, so deadhead regularly to encourage continuous flowering. If space allows once the flowers are spent at the end of the season leave the heads to form seeds which will provide food for wildlife through the winter.