History of the Sunflower

Boone Farm Sunflowers

This lovely flower is prefect for the summer and of course will brighten up your day, room, or house and help so reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. They got there name because young plans have there faces going you guessed it…. towards the sun. The Greek named it Helios Arthus meaning sun & flower. The flower represents loyalty and adoration. So next time you get a bouquet with sunflowers it’s a happy flower with positive means. Chinese believe this flower symbolizes long life, vitality, and good luck. Oh bring me a nice bouquet! 

The sunflower is a native to North America and was first grown 4500 years ago by indigenous tribes. Evidence suggests that the sunflower may have been domesticated before corn. Over time the plant crops have multiple uses from milling for flour, use of seeds into granola, and extracting the oils for cooking. But bet you didn’t know it was also used for non-food uses such as pigments & oils for sunscreen, snakebite ointment, and purple dye for hair & textiles. The Indians used the stalks for building materials. 

 

In 1510, European explorers took back the seeds and the flowers spread throughout Western Europe. Anew purpose was medicinally as an anti-inflammatory. In the 1700’s it made its way to Russia, we’re it’s oil production was established. The production didn’t take off until the 1800’s when Russian Orthodox Church issued a diktat (an order or degree imposed by someone in power without popular consent) for the period of lent. When they made up the list of banned substances the sunflower oil was not on the list. This caused a boom in sunflower oil. As the demand grew, the crops were separated into two areas: oilseed and seed consumption. The Russian began doing research on the development of the varieties to meet the various demands. The scientist who is known for this research in sunflower breeding was Vasilii Stepanovich Pustovoit. He developed a program that isolated multiple traits and crossed to produced hybrids. Over the last hundred+ years there have been advancements in cross pollination, then into finishing touches in the form of hybridization by the Canadians. 

 

Back in the U.S. around 1880 the seed found its way back. Seeds were sold in catalogs with names like ‘Mammoth Russian’ sunflower. The first commercial use of this US crop was for poultry. 1926 the first US processing of seeds into oil. 

The sunflower market has grow and now ranks as the fourth most important oil crop in the world. Before you ask it is behind: palm, soybean, and grapeseed. The highest production coming from Russia and Ukraine. 

Everyone loves a sunny day and a beautiful large sunflower! But over all they are just pretty to look at and walk through. To end this lesson, a sunflower is a spiritual flower. Because of its link to the sun and always finds the light. I like that thought, always finds the light. These pictures are from Boone Hall Plantation where you can walk and pick your own. But just so know the fee is $5 per person. 

Fun facts (like I haven’t given you enough info on the sunflower)

• tallest recorded sunflower 30 ft 1 inch.
• National flower of both Russia & Ukraine.
• Sunflower seeds packed with calcium.
• Each sunflower seed produces between 100-2000 seeds

See you at the next bend in the road,

Kelli