Aug. 3, 2026
Contact Sara Diedrich, diedrichs@missouri.edu
Photos by Abbie Lankitus and Nicholas Andrusisian
Get ready for a sea of Mizzou black and gold — the sunflowers at the University of Missouri South Farm are about to bloom.
Beginning in mid-August and continuing through the end of September, one of Mizzou’s beloved traditions will be on full display, drawing thousands of visitors from across Missouri and beyond.
“The sunflowers are our gift to the community,” Tim Reinbott, longtime field director for MU Extension and the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, said. “They have really brought people together.”
This year’s display carries special meaning for Reinbott, Mizzou’s unofficial sunflower champion. After nearly 40 years of helping shape agricultural research at Mizzou, he’s retiring and leaving behind a legacy of excellence that includes the sunflower tradition he cultivated for generations of Missourians.
“There hasn't been a year that's gone by that I haven’t enjoyed seeing the joy the sunflowers bring to visitors,” he said. “It’s been a real privilege to be a part of that.”
How sunflowers became a Tiger tradition
Growing up on a farm in Missouri’s Bootheel, Reinbott never strayed far from his agricultural roots. The idea of planting a sunflower patch at South Farm came to him one summer afternoon as he bumped down a country road in his pickup and spotted a photographer taking pictures in the middle of a field of sunflowers.
“I thought, ‘We could do that and let the community come out to enjoy it,’” he said.
Interest grew quickly, and over the years, Reinbott has watched the sunflowers become the backdrop for life’s milestone moments: family portraits, senior pictures and marriage proposals.
“I once saw a whole wedding party pile out of their vehicles and get their picture taken,” he said. “That was so neat. We also have people come at sunrise or sunset to capture that perfect picture.”
A decade later, the sunflowers continue to draw thousands of visitors each year.
Reinbott is especially fond of sunflowers because they’re drought tolerant, require no watering and are remarkably easy to grow. Once the seeds are planted, they bloom about 60 days later on four- to six-foot stalks and remain photogenic for seven to 10 days.
Watching the sunflower patches come to life this summer has been bittersweet for Reinbott, who spent decades advancing agriculture at Mizzou. As he prepares for the next chapter of his life, it seems fitting that he’ll be remembered not only for his research and leadership, but also for creating a field of black and gold that has become part of countless Missouri memories.
“I’ve absolutely loved it,” he said.
Staff at South Farm prepare a field for a wave of three sunflower patches that are expected to bloom in mid-August, early September and late September.
PLAN YOUR VISIT
The sunflowers at South Farm are expected to bloom in mid-August, early September and late September, just in time for Mizzou’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) Showcase from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26.
South Farm is part of the Central Missouri Research, Extension and Education Center (REEC). It is open seven days a week and is located at 3600 E. New Haven Road in Columbia. Admission is free.
A bonus planting by Mizzou’s Agronomy Club will be ready in October at the Jefferson Farm and Garden Extension and Education Center, just east of South Farm, in Columbia, giving visitors even more opportunities to experience the golden blooms.
For additional information, visit Mizzou’s Central Missouri Research, Extension and Education Center Facebook page.
