Expert: Mike Mascio - 5/28/2008

Question
Hi, i just had a few questions about pollination of sunflowers.  I am trying to grow mammoth sunflowers and red sunflowers.  I was wondering will they cross pollinate with eachother?  Do sunflowers cross pollinate with their own kind (mammoth to mammoth, red to red)?  Or do sunflowers cross with sunflowers of a different kind?  Thanks for your help.

Answer
Dustin, bees are indiscriminate and will pollinate across different varieties, although this is minimized by the fact that the pollen of sunflowers is very heavy in comparison to other flowering plants. Therefore, the bees do not tend to carry the pollen very far. That is why I keep my varieties segregated in groups.

Even though there will still be some cross-pollination, it will be very minimal.

I hope this answered your question. Please write again if I can ever be of assistance.

Regards,

Mike