Sunflower

The sunflower is a favored plant among gardeners and florists alike!  It is native to North America but has been and is successfully grown in Asia, Europe, Japan, and Russia. In fact, sunflowers were, at one time, revered by the Aztec and are often seen carved in many of the Aztec’s temples!  What’s more, the Aztecs were not alone with their appreciation of the sunflower; the sunflower has been officially named the national flower of Russia, in addition to being named the official flower of the state of Kansas! 

 The typical sunflower is a cheerful variety, immediately recognizable by its vibrant yellow petals and tall, regal stature.  What is often unknown about the yellow sunflower is that only one of over seventy species of sunflower.  Further, many species of sunflower would not bring to mind a sunflower at all because the yellow variety has become so widely known and adored.

What is also uncommonly known about the sunflower is that, similar to the bloom of daisies, its bloom contains thousands of miniature flowers within its central disc!  Thus, a sunflower consists of the same parts as a daisy, a central disc with large ray florets encircling its center.  Finally, sunflower blooms hold thousands of tiny seeds within its bloom and many countries use sunflower leaves to create special oils and dyes.

Sunflower is a bloom that can grow to heights reaching over fifteen feet and their stalks are extremely hardy. Further, the stems are often greenish-red in color and appear to have tiny hairs along the stalk.  Additionally, their bloom can grow as to widths equaling 24 inches or more. A common myth pertaining to the sunflower is the belief that a sunflower will face the sun and follow it throughout the day.  This belief arose because a sunflower is often found facing the eastern horizon in the morning and later be seen facing the western horizon at dusk, however the sunflower does not directly follow the course of the sun the whole day through.
           
The sunflower primarily produces two varieties of seeds that are cultivated from sunflower crops: black and striped.  Manufacturers use black sunflower seeds to create special, man-made oils, while the common striped sunflower seeds are often eaten by both humans and birds.  Thus, sunflowers not only serve as an object of beauty, but they are also cultivated for manufacturing a number of consumable products; sunflower oil and sunflower seeds being two such products.

Sunflowers are also equally revered for their easy cultivation.  In fact, a nice sunny location with mildly damp soil is all a sunflower requires to grow.  If planting sunflower, a gardener will usually sow the seeds in the spring and because many species of sunflower have annual tendencies, gardeners will be required to replant them the following year.  Nevertheless, because the sunflower is so easily grown, they remain a favorite among gardeners.  Finally, another reason why the sunflower is favored among gardeners is because they thrive well in sandy and or less than perfect soils.