{"product_id":"semences-tournesol-teddy-bear","title":"Teddy Bear Sunflower","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHelianthus annuus\u003c\/em\u003e, cultivar Teddy Bear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe sunflower you didn't see coming. To distinguish from its classic cousin, the \u003ca href=\"\/en\/products\/black-oil-sunflower-seeds\"\u003eBlack Oil Sunflower\u003c\/a\u003e, which is the tall structural plant 1.5 to 2.5 m destined for seeds, oil and winter birds. Teddy Bear is the opposite: compact, fluffy, ornamental — perfect for children, balconies and small garden corners.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn ornamental sunflower variety with fully double flowers, Teddy Bear comes from the decorative selections developed by European and North American horticulturalists from the 19\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e century onwards. The double-flower mutation — where the central florets (normally responsible for seed production) transform into petal-like florets — appears periodically in sunflowers as in many other composite flowers. It is this mutation, fixed and amplified through generations of selection, that gives Teddy Bear its distinctive silhouette: a round, fluffy golden pompom that looks remarkably like a chrysanthemum, or — as its name suggests — like the soft fur of a stuffed bear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA compact, stocky plant 50 to 90 cm tall, which often branches into several flowering stems rather than a single main axis as in classic sunflowers. Each flower is 12 to 15 cm across, fully petaloid, a uniform warm golden yellow, almost without a visible central disk (unlike the Black Oil sunflower where the large dark central disk is as imposing as the crown of petals). Texture so dense and tufted it feels like a soft ball to the touch. Bloom spread over 4 to 6 weeks, generally from mid-August to late September in Québec.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUse: the sunflower of pure joy. Excellent in garden borders, in wide balcony containers (a minimum of 30 cm diameter per plant), as a potager accent to break up the monotony of greens, or in front borders showcasing taller classic sunflowers behind them. It is also the ideal sunflower for children — flower at child's height, blooms you can hold in one hand, and spectacular growth you can literally follow day by day in mid-season. Excellent in cut flower arrangements for compact, cheerful bouquets — vase life is modest (4 to 5 days) but the visual effect is striking. Note for pollinators: the double flower offers less accessible nectar than the simple sunflower (most nectar-bearing florets have been converted into petals through selection), but bees and bumblebees still visit the remaining florets at the edge of the head, and the plant produces fertile seeds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrower's tip:\u003c\/strong\u003e Like all sunflowers, direct sow only — the plant has a taproot that does not tolerate transplanting. Well-worked soil, 2-3 cm deep, once all frost risk has passed (mid-May through late June in Québec — comfortable window, we're still in it). Full sun mandatory (six hours minimum — the name says so). In containers, choose a pot at least 30 cm in diameter and 30 cm deep per plant, rich potting soil, regular watering (pots dry out fast). Flowering 65 to 80 days after sowing. Let a few flowers go to seed at season's end to offer a last snack to chickadees in early winter — fewer seeds per head than on the Black Oil sunflower, but still plenty to delight the birds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOpen-pollinated. Annual. Insect-pollinated (self-sterile); can cross with other cultivated sunflowers nearby.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight: 50 to 90 cm. Branched habit, often several flowers per plant.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaturity: 65 to 80 days to first bloom.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExposure: full sun mandatory (six hours minimum).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eModerately rich, well-drained soil. Tolerates poor soils better than tall-growing varieties.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDirect-sow mid-May through late June in Québec, at 2-3 cm depth. No transplanting possible.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExcellent in containers: pot minimum 30 cm × 30 cm per plant, rich soil, regular watering.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIdeal for children's gardens, urban balconies, borders and decorative beds.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Joual Vert","offers":[{"title":"10","offer_id":46346364223660,"sku":"GC-SUNTED-10","price":0.99,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50","offer_id":46346364256428,"sku":"GC-SUNTED-50","price":3.99,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"250","offer_id":46346364289196,"sku":"GC-SUNTED-250","price":12.99,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0532\/1388\/8684\/files\/teddybear_d615182f-e5e2-4620-9b16-ac9e22a4323a.jpg?v=1780695321","url":"https:\/\/joualvert.ca\/en\/products\/teddy-bear-sunflower-seeds","provider":"Joual Vert","version":"1.0","type":"link"}