A Memory of Giant Sunflowers

His name was Bob Davis, and he was famous for growing sunflowers that could reach around 15 feet tall. I once dated his niece, Edie May, and even though nearly fifty years have passed, I still remember both her and those enormous flowers fondly.

What impressed me most was that Bob managed to grow such towering sunflowers and get them to produce seeds during Maine’s extremely brief summer. From the last frost to the first frost, the growing season can sometimes be less than two months. I even experienced snow flurries on the Fourth of July once, which is one of the reasons I have called Florida home since 1977.

Striped-Hull Seeds Are Grown for Eating

Sunflowers can occasionally develop flower heads nearly a foot wide, but they do not actually hold the record for the largest native flower in North America. That title belongs to the much smaller American lotus. The distinction apparently relates to the size of the petals rather than the overall seed-bearing structure. Still, sunflowers certainly look as though they ought to be the largest flowers on the continent, and they are among the tallest.

One summer in Florida, I grew roughly seven of these giant sunflowers. I successfully protected their huge flower heads from birds long enough to harvest them, then brought the heads indoors to my Florida room so they could dry and cure.

When I checked on them about three weeks later, every sunflower had been completely eaten. Squirrels—and possibly some other visitors—had apparently entered through a small dog door and enjoyed the harvest. At least the sunflowers ended up providing food for a worthwhile cause.

No-Stripe Hull Seeds Are Used for Oil

People have cultivated sunflowers for more than 4,000 years. Their cultivation may have begun in central Mexico before spreading northward and eventually throughout much of North America. Although sunflower seeds are well known as food, the roots of certain sunflower species can also be eaten, with the Jerusalem artichoke being one notable example.

Grow Your Own Snack Food or Produce Oil

Sunflowers also held an important place in several pre-Columbian cultures associated with sun worship. Ancient peoples could easily observe the way young sunflower plants track the sun as it moves across the sky before turning back toward the east overnight.

The scientific name for the common sunflower is Helianthus annuus (pronounced heel-ee-ANTH-us AN-yoo-us), meaning annual sunflower. Today, Russia is the world's largest commercial sunflower producer, followed by Argentina and the United States.

As a result, wild sunflowers in North America can appear in two distinct forms. Some are long-established escapees from cultivated varieties that have gradually returned to smaller, more natural-looking forms. Others may have escaped cultivation only recently and still retain their large, striking appearance.

Making Sunflower Oil by Hand

Sunflowers have an impressive variety of practical uses. Their seeds can be roasted and eaten directly, while raw seeds can be ground into a meal that works as a thickener for soups and stews. Roasted sunflower hulls can also be brewed into a drink somewhat reminiscent of coffee.

The hulls and petals can provide natural dyes, while dried petals combined with pollen can be used as face paint. Dried sunflower stalks can even serve as construction material for simple shelters.

Sunflower oil is another major product and has applications in cooking, food preparation, medicine, and cosmetics. With an oil expeller, it is even possible to produce sunflower oil at home. However, some individuals can develop contact dermatitis after handling sunflowers, so care should be taken if skin irritation occurs.

Oilseed and Confectionery Sunflowers

Two major categories of sunflowers are cultivated in the United States: oilseed varieties and confectionery varieties.

Oilseed sunflowers produce relatively small, black seeds that contain a high concentration of oil. These seeds are primarily processed to make sunflower oil and meal.

Confectionery sunflowers, on the other hand, produce larger seeds with black-and-white shells. These are commonly roasted and eaten as snacks and can also be incorporated into breads and other foods. However, sunflower plants have useful parts beyond their seeds.

Some Sunflowers Have Edible Roots

Helianthus strumosus, like its close relative the Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus), produces an edible root. This species can be distinguished from many other sunflowers by its strongly branched stem. It also has a waxy coating that can be removed or rubbed away quite easily.

Its foliage tends to be paler than that of many related species, which explains its common name, Pale-Leaved Woodland Sunflower. The plant occurs across much of eastern North America.

The meanings behind the scientific names are also interesting. Helianthus means sunflower, annuus means annual, tuberosus refers to producing tubers, and strumosus refers to a swelling or tumor, a reference to the edible swollen root produced by that species.

Sunflowers Can Help Clean Contaminated Soil

The common sunflower, Helianthus annuus, is the state flower of Kansas. However, caution is important when gathering wild sunflowers. These plants can absorb contaminants and toxins from the soil. In fact, sunflowers were used in efforts to remove radioactive contaminants from the environment following the Chernobyl nuclear accident.

For that reason, wild sunflowers should not automatically be considered safe to eat simply because the species itself is edible. The growing location and condition of the soil are important factors.

Green Deane’s “Itemized” Plant Profile

Sunflowers are generally tall annual or perennial plants that can reach approximately 12 feet or more, depending on the species and growing conditions. Their stems are coarse, hairy, and often branch near the upper portion of the plant. The leaves are toothed and may have a somewhat sticky surface.

The lower leaves are usually arranged opposite one another and tend to be oval or heart-shaped, while the upper leaves are alternate and narrower. Flower heads consist of bright yellow ray flowers surrounding the central portion.

Young sunflower heads display a distinctive movement known as heliotropism. They follow the sun's path from east to west during the daytime and turn back toward the east overnight. As the plants mature, this movement gradually stops, and older flower heads typically remain oriented toward the east.