Valentina sunflower is a decorative annual hybrid Helianthus annuus L., characterized by medium plant height of about 135-200 cm and abundant lateral branching. The lemon-yellow flower heads with dark center, about 12 cm in diameter, create a bright and ornamental garden decoration during summer and autumn. The plant blooms continuously from June to September, making it ideal for solitary and group plantings, as well as for bouquets and decorating fences and buildings. The vegetative period is about 115 days, and the growing time until harvest is 10-12 weeks.
This sunflower shows good adaptation to sunny and warm conditions, preferring loose, fertile soils. It is drought-resistant and requires little care, making it easy to cultivate. Seeds are sown in open ground in April-May, maintaining a spacing of 20-40 cm between plants and a sowing depth of 2-5 cm. For earlier flowering, seedlings can be sown in early April using pots, as the plant does not tolerate transplanting well.
In terms of agronomic characteristics, the Valentina hybrid has a medium seed yield of about 20.3 centners per hectare and a medium 1000-seed weight of 54.2 g. The oil content in the seeds reaches 40%, ensuring an oil harvest of 6.5 centners per hectare. The plant has a medium height of 180-200 cm and resistance to G+ rust. All these qualities make Valentina sunflower a versatile and attractive choice for both decorative purposes and seed and oil production.
