Sunny Sunflowers

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Sunny Sunflowers

• By Audrey Harmon

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The sunflower gets its name from the Greek words
helios, meaning sun, and anthos, meaning
flower.
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The sunflower is one of only four major crops
native to the United States.
Blueberries, cranberries, and pecans are the
other three.
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Native sunflowers have much smaller flowers and
more flowers per plant.
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Most of the sunflowers grown in Oklahoma are used
as garden flowers or as birdseed.
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Birds love to eat sunflower seeds and cause
problems for the grower. When the sunflower
droops it is harder for the birds to get the
seeds.
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Some bugs cause problems for the farmer.
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Other bugs are beneficial. They help spread
pollen and pollinate the plants.
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Sunflowers can grow very tall, as tall or taller
than some adults. Some can grow to be as tall as
15 feet. Others do not grow as tall.
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The face of the sunflower always turns toward the
sun when it is growing.
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The head of the sunflower starts out small and
opens gradually.
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The face of the sunflower can grow very large.
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Usually the head will start to droop by the end
of the growing season.
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The head droops because hundreds of seeds grow in
the flower and cause it to get heavy.
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Sunflower seeds taste good and are a good source
of potassium and protein.

• Sunflower seed kernels, driedNutritional value
  per 100 g (3.5 oz)
• Protein 22.78 g
• Potassium  689 mg  15
• Percentages are relative to USrecommendations
  for adults.Source USDA Nutrient database

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Sunflower seeds are a favorite snack at baseball
games. During one season, fans of the Baltimore
Orioles ate nearly 3,000 packets of seeds.
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Sunflowers can also be crushed. The meal can be
used in animal feed.
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The oil in the meal can be used to make biodiesel.