Sunflower
Sunflowers also produce
latex and are the subject of experiments to improve their suitability as an alternative crop for producing
hypoallergenic rubber.
For farmers not intending to grow it, the sunflower is considered a
noxious weed. The wild variety will grow unwanted in corn and soy bean fields which can have a negative impact on yields.
In
Greek mythology, a girl named
Clytie fell in love with the sun god
Apollo, and would do nothing but watch his
chariot move across the sky. After nine days, she was transformed into a sunflower. However, the word "sunflower" and its
cognates existed long before
Helianthus annuus was brought to
Europe, and it is thought that the myth (which is mentioned in
Ovid's poem
Metamorphoses) actually refers to
heliotrope or
marigold.
*The sunflower is the state flower of the U.S. state of
Kansas, and one of the city flowers of
Kitakyushu,
Japan.
*The
Jerusalem artichoke (
Helianthus tuberosa) is related to the sunflower. The
Mexican sunflower is
Tithonia rotundifolia.
False sunflower refers to plants of the genus
Heliopsis.
*Scientific literature reports, from
1567, that a 12 m (40'), traditional, single-head, sunflower plant was grown in
Padua. The same seed lot grew almost 8 m (24') at other times and places (e.g.
Madrid). Much more recent feats (past score years) of over 8 m (25') have been achieved in both
Netherlands and
Canada (
Ontario).
Image:Sunflower opening 1-KayEss-2.jpeg|1. The first stage of the flower formationImage:Sunflower opening 2-KayEss-2.jpeg|2. The flower is still covered, but faces the sunImage:Sunflower opening 3-KayEss-1.jpeg|3. The flower is nearly completely exposedImage:Sunflower opening 4-KayEss-2.jpeg|4. The flower is completely exposedImage:100 2119.jpg|SunflowersImage:Sunflower_Bumbebee.jpg|Bumble bee sampling Sunflower nectarimage:Sunflowers.jpg|Sunflowers growing near Fargo, North DakotaImage:Sunflower DSC01056.jpg|Lone sunflower about 2 m (6 ft, 6') tallImage:Sunflower seedlings.jpg|Sunflower seedlings, just three days after germinationImage:Sunflower-Louisiana.png|Sunflower ProfileImage:Sunflower3a.JPG|Sunflower and Image:Tournesol.png|Sunflower (FrenchTournesol)Image:Sunflower10094.jpg|Large Russian SunflowerImage:Sunflower 3 bg 052204.jpg|SunflowerImage:Helianthus annuus stamper.jpg|The Netherlands, june 2006Image:Ashlandsunflower.jpg|Sunflower in Ashland, OregonImage:Ashlandsunflowers.jpg|Sunflowers in Ashland, Oregon*
Sheller* Shosteck, Robt. 1974.
Flowers and Plants. An International Lexicon with Biographical Notes. Quadrangle/The New York Times Book Co. 329 pp.
* Wood, Marcia. June 2002. "Sunflower Rubber?" Agricultural Research. USDA. [
1]
*
A farmer running his tractor and car with sunflower oil*
Sunflower Photosnds-nl:Zunnebloeme
