FORT WAYNE, INDIANA · GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS
Clover. The world’s tallest sunflower.
One backyard. One family. 35 feet, 9 inches.
Alex Babich grew Clover in our family’s Fort Wayne garden. On September 3, 2025, that sunflower earned a place in Guinness World Records. Here’s the story, the coverage, and a chance to grow a seed from the plant that made history.
Alex celebrating beside Clover and the support tower in Fort Wayne.
35 ft 9 in
Verified height · 10.90 metres
September 3, 2025
Official measurement · Fort Wayne, Indiana
5 ft 8 in taller
Than the previous 30 ft 1 in record from 2014
A family story that kept growing.
For Alex, growing sunflowers has always meant more than chasing a measurement. Born in Ukraine, he moved to Fort Wayne in 1991. Gardening became a way to share where he came from and show his children what patient care can produce.
Clover’s name came from his son, Keenai, who placed four-leaf clovers on the plant for luck. Alex’s wife, Nannette, and their children helped care for the garden along the way.
Our family’s message is simple: “Plant a Seed. Water with Love. Watch Hope Grow.”
The road to 35 feet, 9 inches
- 2022: Alex’s sunflower reached 25 feet, 2 inches, setting a U.S. record.
- 2023: He raised that mark to 26 feet, 1 inch.
- August 2025: Early news reports followed Clover as it passed 30 feet.
- September 3, 2025: The final verified measurement was 35 feet, 9 inches.
The Guinness record page documents the final result. Earlier news stories capture milestones while Clover was still growing.
THE PRESS COLLECTION
Clover in the news
Explore the official feature, original reporting, local interviews, and the earlier seasons that led to the world record. Each link opens the publisher’s own page.
Guinness World Records · September 10, 2025
The official story of Clover
Guinness tells the story of the record, the family behind it, and the worldwide community of giant-sunflower growers.
The Associated Press · September 12, 2025
A sunflower, a family, and Ukrainian roots
A reported feature on Alex’s Ukrainian heritage, the meaning behind Clover, and the community that gathered for measuring day.
21Alive / WPTA · September 10, 2025
The world record becomes official
Fort Wayne’s local coverage of Guinness accepting Clover’s achievement and Alex’s thanks to the city that supported him.
Arts Midwest · September 3, 2026
The creativity behind the world’s tallest sunflower
A later feature exploring gardening, family, community, and the filmmakers who followed Alex’s journey for Bloom.
UPI · August 8, 2025
Clover reaches 30 feet, 7 inches
An early-season milestone, reported before the final official measurement. Clover still had more growing to do.
21Alive / WPTA · September 8, 2025
From the U.S. record to the world stage
A local interview about Alex’s gardening beginnings, his family’s encouragement, and the pursuit of a world record.
UPI · August 6, 2025
The climb toward a world record
Coverage from the weeks before the final measurement, as Clover grew beyond Alex’s earlier U.S. milestones.
Farm World · June 4, 2024
The season before Clover
A look at Alex’s earlier record attempts, his support structure, and the work involved in raising giant sunflowers.
98.5 The River / WANE · August 2, 2022
The first U.S. record chase
A syndicated WANE report from the summer Alex’s sunflower first grew past the previous U.S. mark.
More coverage from around the world
The story travelled far beyond Indiana. Some outlets carried the same Associated Press or WPTA/Gray News report; those editions are grouped below.
Associated Press editions
- CBS Chicago
- The Independent
- WRTV Indianapolis
- ClickOnDetroit / WDIV
- KSAT San Antonio
- CityNews Halifax
- Spectrum News NY1
- Spectrum Bay News 9
- The Denver Gazette
- WLKY Louisville
WPTA / Gray News editions
More features & international coverage
- New York Post — the record and Alex’s Ukrainian roots
- AS USA — a sunflower as tall as a telephone pole
- The Times of India — the record reaches an international audience
- Espreso — Ukrainian coverage of Alex’s achievement
- AgroReview — the record and earlier growing milestones
- WBKR — growing a tribute to Ukraine
- Newser — Clover’s early record-breaking growth
- The Good Men Project — republished Arts Midwest feature
Coverage collected November 3, 2026. Article dates and measurements reflect the stage of the growing season being reported.
The story became Bloom.
Filmmakers Victoria Britton, Malakai Tyne Bisel, and Derek Hockemeyer followed Alex’s pursuit of a world record through the demands of gardening, family, weather, and wildlife.
The 2026 Indy Shorts lineup listed Bloom as a world premiere. The documentary gives another way to experience the people and persistence behind Clover.
GROW A PIECE OF THE STORY
A seed from Clover, for your own garden.
Our Clover listing is for one seed saved from the record-setting plant, selected and saved by our family in Fort Wayne.
- 1 seed from Clover.
- A small certificate of authenticity supplied by our family.
- Germination and growing tips.
Germination and final height are not guaranteed. Follow the included growing advice and plan support for a tall sunflower.
Clover questions
How tall was the world-record sunflower?
Guinness World Records lists Clover at 10.90 metres (35 feet, 9 inches), grown by Alex Babich in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and verified on September 3, 2025. Read the official record.
Can I buy a seed from that sunflower?
Yes. Our Clover World Record Sunflower Seed listing is for one seed from Clover, with a family-supplied certificate of authenticity and growing tips.
Will a seed grow as tall as Clover?
The parent plant’s record does not guarantee the height or germination of its seeds. The seed listing explains what is included and the growing guidance provided.
Why do some articles give a different height?
Reporters followed Clover throughout the season. August stories describe earlier measurements, while the official final record is dated September 3, 2025.