Sunflowers are known throughout the world for their pleasant, sunny disposition. Kitchen walls are often decorated with sunflowers and rustic country homes have them everywhere. The wide faces almost seem to be smiling, and the bright yellow color adds a splash of good cheer to any room. Aside from their pick-me-up quality, sunflowers have nutritional value, as well. In many parts of the world, sunflowers are grown exclusively as a crop plant. Throughout the world, they are used to make seed snacks, bird feed, and oil. On average, this giant flower can grow to be 18' tall and 2' across.

Common name: Sunflower

Botanical name: Helianthus

Pronunciation: Hee-lee-an-thus

Meaning: The sunflower's name, "Helianthus" comes from the combination of two Greek words. In Greek, helios means sun and anthos means flower; therefore, this flower was named thus for its unique resemblances to the blazing sun. Perhaps the heliotropic nature of the sunflower has also contributed to its appropriate name. The flowering head of a sunflower will actually follow the sun. Dwarf sunflowers are a symbol of adoration.

Origin: America is the origin of this cheerful bud.

Availability: From late spring through late fall.

Color options: While the classic sunflower has a brown center surrounded by bright yellow petals, a variety of colored alternatives are being experimented with and sold.

Grows in: All over the world

Care tips: Give this sunflowers lots of water

Uses: In addition to being décorative flowers, sunflowers have long been an important source of nutrition in many countries. Native Americans used sunflowers for their natural oils and as food and medicine.

Mixes well with: Any other yellow flowers complement this beautiful flower.

Interesting facts:
• Sunflowers will attract flying friends such as birds and bees.
• Within six or seven months, sunflowers can grow as tall as 12'. The tallest recorded sunflower was grown in the Netherlands and reached 25' tall, and the widest, in Canada, was 32 1/2" across.
• The sunflower is the state flower in Kansas, and the national flower of Russia, the country that grows the most sunflowers per year.
• Sunflowers store large amounts of oil for food and energy.
• A sunflower head is made up of 2,000 tiny flowers, and contains between one and two thousand seeds.