Helianthus annuus 'Ikarus'
Trial: Annual
Years Trialed: 1999
Good Qualities:
Good light yellow/lemon color (6); Wonderful, dark velvet eye, upright radials, long lasting as cuts. Very strong stems, good diameter. Heat and drought tolerant. Exceptional flower heads 5-6; across; Definitely growing next year; Great flower head posture (for use in mixed bouquets). Better than average resistance to leaf fungus. Good stem length. Good plant size. Good flower head size; Germinated well in greenhouse and direct sow in field even with record breaking drought in my county; Many heads; Great stem length. Strong stems; Grew well, good shape, branches useful; No lodging after big storm; No rust, very uniform, good proportion of petals to disk. Purity of color is consistent throughout petals. Pollenless, small leaves.
Problems:
Color too light (2); Too short (2); None; Lighter petal color seems to attract more bugs than darker, golder colored sunflowers; Just never looked very good for us. Seemed to be insect prone; Blends with other sunflowers, not appealing by itself. Not much market demand. Axillary branches (good for home garden) cuts; Like Valentine, this variety does not like our soil.
Trial Data
| Yield (stems/plant) | Stem Length (inches) | Market Appreciation Rating (1) | Repeat Again Rating (1) | Ease of Cultivation Rating (1) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 4.5 | 24.9 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 4.6 |
(1) 1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best. Market ratings are based on sales to wholesalers, retailers, or final consumers direct.
Supplier
Benary Seed
1444 Larson St.
Sycamore, IL 60178
Comments:
I would grow these all year long. Pure yellow color is exquisite for a fresh cut. One of my favorites out of all I have grown. No fertilizer or chemicals used; We will grow again next year; Didn't hold very long after cut and tends to fall over in field; Nice multi-bloom sunflower.