Fall is just around the corner and one of the best plants to ease us into that seasonal transition is the sunflower, Helianthus annuus. Even with the drought, the sunflowers have been blooming their hearts out. They have wide branching root systems that allow them to draw nutrients and moisture from a large area, increasing their drought tolerance. Dry conditions are nothing new for this prairie native, which is honored as the state flower in Kansas and Nebraska.
There are about 70 species of sunflowers and most are native to the Great Plains, Mexico and Peru. Ethnobotanists found evidence of them being cultivated by Native Americans as far back as 3,000 B.C. Native people used the seeds for food, eating them raw or roasted, or grinding them into meal and flour. They boiled them to extract oil, which was used for cooking; as a salve, to soften leather; and as a hair conditioner. They made rope and cording from the fibrous stems and smoked the leaves like tobacco. Yellow dye from the petals and blue/black dyes made from purple-seeded types were used for body paint and to color clothing.
Spanish explorers introduced sunflowers to Europe in the 16th century where they were viewed more as a curiosity than as a food plant. However, in Russia they recognized the importance of sunflowers as a major oilseed producer and by the 18th century they grew them in abundance. Sunflowers continue to be an important oilseed crop worldwide and are grown commercially from North Dakota and Minnesota to Texas. Up to 90 percent of the sunflowers grown in the United States are oilseed types that can yield up to 600 pounds of oil per acre. Many are used for birdseed, but most are processed into cooking oil or used in margarine or cosmetics. Though the oil could be used in biodiesel, it is too valuable right now as a foodstuff. No part of the plant is wasted and the stalks and leaves are chopped like silage and fed to cattle. Unlike corn and soybeans, there are no genetically modified sunflowers.
One of the most interesting attributes of sunflowers is their ability to turn and face the sun as it travels across the sky. Many flowers have this tendency to move toward the sun – called “heliotropism” – but it is very pronounced in sunflower buds.
In the morning they face east. During the day motor cells in the stem tilt the bud to follow the course of the sun so it receives maximum sunlight. By evening it will be facing west. Overnight it goes back to the east to await the rising sun. Researchers have found that even with the buds removed, the bare stem will still track the sun. Once the flowers have completely opened, they stop moving and face east. It is thought that this is to avoid sun scalding of the seeds on hot days.
Striped sunflower seeds contain a wealth of vitamins and minerals and are a great healthy snack food. You can let them stand in the garden and watch wildlife enjoy the bounty, but if you want some for yourself, you may have to resort to covering the ripening seed heads with paper bags, cheesecloth or reemay, or cut the heads and bring them inside to dry. Large heads will face downward as they mature and the backside of the flowerheads turn from green to yellow. When the back of the seedhead is brown and the seeds are fully ripe, rub two flowerheads together, face to face, to loosen the seeds. They can be eaten raw or you can toast them in a skillet over medium heat for 10 minutes or so or roast them on a cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Store in an airtight container.
To make salted sunflowers seeds, soak them overnight in 1 gallon of water with 1 cup of salt. Drain and pat dry. Spread on a cookie sheet and dry in the oven at 300 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Seed hulls will start to crack down the center when dry.
If you are planning to grow sunflowers next year, there are hundreds of varieties to choose from. Pick up any seed catalog and you will be amazed at the offerings – Johnny’s alone has 43 varieties! Just be advised, if you want to grow the tallest sunflower, the current world-record holder is 30 feet, 1 inch tall.
Ready or not, here comes fall.