Sunflower
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| sunflowe r |
| Helianthus Annuus |
| The sunflower is a great plant with a lot of history; the specimen we are concerned with here is what most people know as the sunflower (Helianthus Annuus). There are several different varieties of this plant, and any plant of the genus Helianthus is considered a sunflower. Many of these, however, are perennials, not annuals, and do not produce the large seeds which we are all familiar with as sunflower seeds. The sunflower pictured above is Helianthus Annuus, and is a plant native to North America. The version most people are familiar with, the huge variety that produces one flower per stalk, was taken to Russia and gradually bred as a commercial crop. This variety is sometimes known as H. Annuus macrocarpus, and is a direct descendant of the wild sunflower, which is pictured above. Directly below you will find a picture of the Russian bred variety, which is the type available in most seed stores. |
Sunflower
| essential fatty acids, 20% protein and 20% carbohydrates. The seeds also contain vitamins A, different varieties of B, D, E and several essential minerals as well. Due to the size of the flowers, the seeds of the wild sunflower are a good bit smaller than the seeds of the more highly cultivated varieties. In a garden setting, especially with the larger varieties, the plants need a lot of fertilizer and water and should be rotated throughout the seasons if the soil is not fertilized during the growing season and conditioned during the off season. In fact, they are so aggressive in their needs for water and nitrogen that they are used to remove excess fertilizer in areas that may have been over fertilized, and have also been used to dry up marshy mosquito beds. The leftover stalks, stems and leaves of the plants make great composting material, and pole beans are an excellent companion crop to plant wherever you plant sunflowers, as the beans will produce nitrogen which the sunflowers demand, and use the sturdy, tall stalks of the sunflowers as support. As well, a sunflower patch is a great way to over power other plants in an area that is getting overgrown with persistent weeds or other vegetation. More on the harvesting and food uses of the Sunflower will be coming in the next couple of days! |