dbarron, thank you so much....this helps me greatly!

Jerseygirl, you should never expect the grocery store employee to know a thing about plants or their care. Really! :-)

If the grocery is lucky, that person has an interest in plants, an eye for detail, and organizational skills. They need to be able to keep track of inventory, but are not given any single bit of cultural information nor scientific names.

I'd suspect that your sunflowers were treated with growth regulators in the greenhouses. They might grow out of it a little after a few weeks and stretch somewhat. Is there any possibilty of planting it in the garden somewhere?

Really all it's going to do is open those side blossoms, and then ripen seed and die..thats the life cycle. Just keep it watered and don't worry much.

Thanks rhizo and dbarron....how sad these supermarket people don't know squat...but this doesn't surprise me....what does?....the fact they don't have detailed records of the plants from their suppliers they sell so they can at least look up some information for customers like me who want to know! That's what their barcode should pull up!

Such a short life cycle....very sad...but they are annuals.

I did end up potting them in containers....I have no room left at all in any of my gardens! lol

As long as you don't allow them to overly dry out and give them the occassional fertilizer, they should produce copious seed for you.

whats next.. asking the nurseryman.. to find out where the roast beef came from ...

this is one of the reason so many nurseries are going out of business ... ken

These look very similar to the potted sunflowers from a grocery store that I received as a gift last year. At the end of fall I dumped the pot in my front garden. This year I have sunflower plants in the front garden- no doubt from seed. :)

I'm still scratching my head over why jerseygirl expects horticultural advice at the grocery.

rhizo. she is a princess

A princess?? I'm confused! I hope this isn't an insult!

I would have, at the very least, expected them to know the growth height...you guys helped with the rest...thank you again!

Walk a mile in the supermarket workers shoes. Do you know someone who works in a supermarket?

Actually, no I don't! OK...so it's the supermarket person who is a princess? I thought that was directed to me!

Just teasing you a little, jerseygirl. Please, no harm intended.

Sunflowers are always a favorite of mine, too. I always grow a few directly in the garden and keep intending to try some specialty varieties for cut flowers. I love sunflowers in an arrangement.

acadia, thanks for the tip....I'll be doing the same....one of my plots out front has beautiful Cleome that come up every spring, so they'll be happy to have some company next year! I'm new to sunflowers....thus my questions.

thank you again everyone...I appreciate it!