Sunflower Chocolate

Helianthus annuus 'Chocolate' Dark Velvet Sunflower 'Chocolate'

Deep velvety near-black mahogany petals around a dark chocolate disc — Sunflower 'Chocolate' is the brooding sophisticated anchor of the cottage sunflower range, providing dark moody beauty entirely unlike any conventional sunflower and completely at home in the modern cottage garden. Branching, multi-headed, low-pollen for cleaner cut-flower use.

If you only know sunflowers as bright cheerful yellow, 'Chocolate' will change your understanding of the genus. This is the near-black velvet sunflower — deep mahogany-burgundy petals so saturated they read as chocolate-black, surrounding a matching dark chocolate-brown disc. The colour is not aggressive but quietly sophisticated — a brooding velvet quality that anchors warm-toned plantings and provides serious cottage drama when paired with companions. Half-hardy annual with branching multi-headed habit producing multiple cutting stems per plant from July through October. Low-pollen breeding makes 'Chocolate' particularly valuable as a cut flower — no yellow pollen staining tablecloths or arrangements. Height 60–90cm.

In the Bishy sunflower range, 'Chocolate' is the moody dark anchor — the variety that gives context to the vivid energy of Red Sun and the cheerful golds of Ring of Fire and Teddy Bear. The two darkest sunflowers in the range (Chocolate and Red Sun) interplanted at 45–60cm spacing create a border section that is simultaneously warm, vivid and sophisticated.

A note on growing

Sow one seed per 7–9cm pot at 1–2cm depth in April at 18–22°C. Sunflowers develop a long taproot from the earliest stage and resent being root-bound or transplanted with disturbed roots — individual pots from the start is the key practice. Germination 7–10 days. Alternatively direct sow after the last frost in May.

Harden off thoroughly before planting out in late May–June in full sun. Space plants 45–60cm apart for the branching habit to develop properly. Slug protection for the first 2–3 weeks after planting out is essential — slugs love young sunflower seedlings. Water deeply at the base (not overhead onto the flower heads), feeding fortnightly with a balanced fertiliser through midsummer.

Where it shines

In sophisticated cottage borders that lean modern or moody — 'Chocolate' provides the dark anchor that makes brighter neighbours read more vividly by contrast. As cut flowers for elegant unpollenated arrangements where the dark velvet provides the colour that few other summer flowers can match. In autumn-into-winter naturalistic plantings where the late-flowering complements the seasonal warm palette. As the structural contrast to bright golden traditional sunflowers in mixed sunflower plantings.

Plant alongside

The classic Bishy sunflower pairing: combine 'Chocolate' with Sunflower 'Red Sun' — the moody dark velvet of 'Chocolate' giving context to the vivid crimson of 'Red Sun', creating the most refined sunflower combination available from a single seed range. With Rudbeckia 'Autumn Forest' for matching warm mahogany tones across two plant heights. With Sunflower 'Vanilla Ice' for high-contrast dark-and-cream sunflower drama.