Sunflowers: American native flower beloved worldwide
Sunflowers certainly had a moment this year.
The sunflower, the national flower of Ukraine, became a symbol of the country during the Russian invasion. People around the world began growing and showing sunflowers as a sign of solidarity and support.
Yet sunflowers are native to the Americas. In fact, almost all sunflower varieties are native to North and Central America with just a few species originating in South America.
This spring, I couldn’t help but wonder how a flower that originated in the Americas became the state symbol of both Ukraine and Russia. As it turned out, the answer to my question is quite simple, if not well known. Sunflowers have been admired and utilized by mankind for a very, very long time.
The common name sunflower refers to plants in the genus Helianthus. It includes about 70 species which are part of the daisy family, Asteraceae. Flowers within that family have composite heads made of many little flowers. So, sunflowers are, as they appear, a form of large daisy. The large annual flowers we most recognize as sunflowers are Helianthus annus, the common sunflower.
Native American cultures have cultivated and used sunflowers for thousands of years. It is estimated that earliest cultivation dates back as far as 3000 B.C. Ancient people used sunflowers for food for both themselves and livestock. Artifacts comprised of carved stone and sunflower heads made of gold have been found among ruins demonstrating the importance of sunflowers to these cultures.
When Europeans arrived in the Americas, they quickly found the appeal of these flowers. As early as the 1500s, Spanish explorers had carried sunflowers back to Europe. The flower proved immensely popular and spread rapidly.
The popularity of Helianthus was propelled by Peter the Great, and sunflowers became important to areas ruled by Russia. Sunflowers were embraced by the Russian Orthodox Church as a food which is high in fat and calories yet was not banned during Lent. The seeds and oil were easy to store and helped sustain Russians through long winters.
In the 1700s, an industrial process was developed for extracting oil from sunflower seeds and by the 19th century, areas of Russia and Ukraine had developed a commercial industry around sunflowers. During that time, over 2 million acres of sunflowers were grown as both a food and oil source.
In a twist of human commerce, sunflowers then found their way back across the ocean to America.
During the 1800s, seed companies began offering the mammoth sunflower varieties that had been developed in Eastern Europe. These cultivar varieties led to new uses for the plant and by the early 20th century, sunflowers had become an industry in both the United States and Canada.
Initially used as chicken feed, by the 1970s sunflowers were grown on over 5 million acres of U.S. farmland. When sunflower oil was recognized as a healthier option for cooking, demand and production increased worldwide.
Sunflowers have earned a place as Ukraine’s national flower because their beauty and utility made them important to that part of the world. That is easy to understand. Yet today, adding sunflowers to your backyard may prove just as important.
They are an invaluable source of food for our at-risk native pollinators and wildlife. Each flowerhead contains up to a thousand tiny individual flowers. Each bloom provides the nectar and pollen they need.
Once mature, developed seed heads can be left for birds and other wildlife as a vital food source, especially in many of our urban landscapes.
Today, with so many sunflower varieties to choose from, a sunflower will fit any space. While many, like Helianthus annus, are annuals, other varieties like native Helianthus maximiliani (Maximillian) are perennial. You can find sunflowers that are incredibly tall or very short with a variety of sizes for the heads. The world record for sunflower is 30 feet, 1 inch tall. The largest flower head on record is 32 inches. The smallest variety is called “elf” which is only 16 inches with 4-inch flowers.
So next season, think about inviting this American world traveler to your own backyard. Happy gardening.
More information is available about sunflowers at https://extension.psu.edu/sunflowers-helianthus-annuus. Additional information on the importance of native plant gardening can be found at https://extension.psu.edu/pennsylvania-native-plants-for-the-perennial-garden.
For gardening questions, email fayettemg@psu.edu and a Master Gardener will respond. The Master Gardeners are also on Facebook at https://extension.psu.edu/programs/master-gardener/counties/fayette. The page share gardening news and tips, and announces webinars and special events.