Helianthus annuus

Available for purchase from 1 July 2025  

Tiger’s Eye is a bold and beautiful sunflower variety introduced in the 1990s by breeder Alan Kapuler. It is prized for its vivid bicolour blooms and manageable height, making it a perfect choice for home gardens. With golden yellow petals encircling a deep red to bronze ring around the central disc, these flowers create a glowing effect that lights up beds, borders, and container displays.

Blooms are approximately 10 to 14 centimetres wide and grow on strong, upright stems. Tiger’s Eye is highly attractive to pollinators such as bees and butterflies, while the mature seed heads offer a late-season food source for birds. It also makes a lovely cut flower, bringing rich colour and cheerful structure to indoor arrangements.

Sow seeds directly into well-prepared soil once the last frost has passed. Plant seeds 2.5 centimetres deep and space 30 to 45 centimetres apart in full sun. Sunflowers thrive in well-drained, compost-enriched soil and benefit from regular watering during early growth. Germination usually takes 7 to 14 days in soil temperatures around 21 degrees Celsius. Plants typically flower within 70 to 90 days of sowing.

Tiger’s Eye grows to between 90 and 150 centimetres tall, occasionally reaching up to 2 metres in favourable conditions. The plant has a branching habit with multiple blooms per stem and maintains good balance without becoming top-heavy. In windy locations, light staking may help support taller growth.

For South African gardeners seeking a sunflower with visual impact and reliable performance, Tiger’s Eye is a top choice. Its fiery colouring, strong stems, and food value make it both a showpiece and a pollinator favourite.