Caring for Creation ~ Following the Sun like the Sunflowers

Sunflowers are called Sunflowers because they follow the Sun! 

The “head” or the top part of the sunflower follows the Sun as it moves across the sky from the eastern horizon to the western.  All Sunflowers do this.  And, they follow the Sun before they even bloom!

Sunflowers begin their day with the top of the plant facing east.  Then, as the Sun moves from east to west, the top follows the Sun.  During the night, the Sunflower top moves from west to east, to be ready for Sunrise.  Scientists wondered what was the advantage to the plant by doing this.  After studying the plants using time-lapse photography, they discovered that Bees like to gather nectar and pollen early in the morning.  Also, Bees like brightly colored blossoms that are warm!

Bees also like to gather nectar and pollen early in the morning.  So, Sunflowers have “learned” to produce bright blossoms that are warmed by the early morning Sun.  When Sunflowers bloom, they can easily “capture” the attention of those early morning Bees.  This increases the pollination of all the Sunflowers and guarantees a bountiful crop of Sunflower seeds!

If Sunflowers are planted in pots and moved indoors under overhead lighting that does not move, in just a few days, the Sunflowers “forget” to move from east to west or from west back to east overnight.  Their movement is directly related to direct exposure to the movement of the Sun across the sky.

Science has also discovered there are specific plant cells on each side of the stem that take turns expanding.  Cells on the east side of the stem swell during the day and angle the plant in the direction of the Sun.  Cells on the west side of the stem swell at night, pushing the blossom back so it faces east by early morning.

Sunflowers have been growing and moving like this for centuries.  In many countries they are a major crop.  In 2023, the United States produced 2.26 billion pounds of sunflower seeds, down from 2.81 billion pounds in 2022.  In 2022, the world produced 54 million tons of sunflower seeds.  Russia and Ukraine produced the most sunflower seeds, together accounting for 51% of the world's total.  Argentina, China, Turkey, Bulgaria, and Romania are a few of the other leading producers of Sunflower seeds.  North Dakota is the leading sunflower-producing state in the United States.  In 2023, North Dakota produced 1.12 billion pounds of sunflower seeds!

Most sunflower seeds are processed into vegetable oil.  A significant portion of the oilseed harvest is used for birdseed production.  Birds love Sunflower seeds because they are rich in oil and supply carbohydrates as well as protein!  When hulls are removed from sunflower seeds, they are often burned for fuel.

Sunflowers are easy to grow and there are different varieties to choose from.  They come in many different sizes and colors, so you have your choice for planting.  They come in many heights.  The taller ones only require a simple trellis to hold them upright when they have reached their full height.  Next week we will discuss the best ways to plant, nurture, and harvest Sunflowers.  Tune in for more about these fascinating flowers.

Mary Christopher teaches mindfulness, breathing practices, and the HeartMath program for Building Personal Resilience.  

She loves gardening and meditating with Trees!