. It’s easy to see why the sunflower is one of the world’s favorite flowers. They’re easy to grow, have easy-to-save seeds, and are undeniably cheerful in the garden. Open-pollinated types are magnets for bees in the spring and summer, and for birds as the seeds develop. Here are 5 unique open-pollinated sunflower varieties to consider planting in your garden this year. 'Lemon Queen' Sunflower 'Lemon Queen' is an heirloom sunflower variety with lemon-yellow petals and rich chocolate-colored centers - a combination that bees find absolutely irresistible. The plants tend to grow about 6 feet tall in average conditions. 'Lemon Queen' is a branching type of flower, where each plant can bear on to two dozen flowers.