By our calculations, you should look at sowing Dwarf about 21 days before your last frost date.
Mature sunflowers may be harvested for flower arrangements. Use a garden knife instead of scissors for cutting the stems of flowers. The scissors will pinch the stem, reducing the ability of the stem to take in water. Place only the stem of sunflowers in the water. Leaves below the water line should be trimmed off.2
The botanical epithet is from the Latin annuus meaning “annual”.1
sunflower