The brightly colored, attractive sunflowers in the garden can automatically boost your mood.
Sunflowers can keep the surroundings healthy by attracting
friendly critters to your garden. There are at least 70 species of sunflowers in the world. If you are fond of sunflowers or interested in growing them in your garden, then this is the perfect article for you. Go through this article to learn some awesome facts about the sunflower.
Sunflowers can be of different colors:
Due to the abundance of yellow-colored sunflowers, people tend to think that sunflowers can only be yellow. But, in reality, you can find sunflowers of red and purple varieties. Red sunflowers can be an excellent choice for a bouquet.
Sunflowers follow the sun:
The name sunflower came from its resemblance to the sun. However, they possess a special characteristic of heliotropism. It means that the object moves according to the position of the sun. Sunflowers also align their petals according to the sun throughout the day.
Mythological significance of the sunflower:
You will be surprised to know that the sunflower is actually connected to Greek mythology. Sunflowers have various interesting symbols and meanings. According to Greek mythology, the god of the sun, Apollo, was in love with Clytie.
However, Apollo fell for another beautiful woman, Leucothoe. She was the princess of another King. Clytie, one night, saw both of them talking.
Out of jealousy, she immediately informed Lecuothe's father. The king ordered Leucothoe to be buried alive. Out of grief and pain, Apollo turned Clytie into a sunflower so that he never had to look at Clytie's face.
The height of the sunflower plant can be wide-ranging:
You will find a vast variety of sunflower plants. It can be both long and dwarf. Tall sunflowers can reach up to 12 to 16 feet. The tall varieties are Russian Mammoth, Sunforest Mix, and Skyscraper. Birds are easily attracted by tall sunflowers. That ultimately helps in seed dispersal.
The longest known sunflower is 30 feet tall, found in Germany. The dwarf variety is less than 3 feet tall. They commonly grow in clusters. You can keep them in pots or your home gardens. Some examples of dwarf varieties are Pacino, Suntastic Yellow, and Little Becka.
Sunflowers are extremely beneficial for your health:
Apart from their beautiful petals, sunflowers provide enormous health benefits. Sunflower seeds are processed to prepare sunflower oil. It possesses anti-inflammatory potential. This oil is suggested by nutritionists for those who are suffering from heart-related diseases. It also helps in controlling the cholesterol level. It can be the perfect alternative to butter and other oils.
However, not all the seeds of sunflowers are processed to make oil. The seeds are mainly divided into oilseeds and non-oilseeds. The seeds are enriched in various nutrients like vitamins and phytochemicals that provide health benefits.
Sunflower seeds can also be processed into butter, also known as sun butter. It is effective against chronic inflammatory disease.
Aren't those sunflower facts awesome?
