Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) poke their heads high above the LipsYard garden. Nearly 3,000 years ago (before Cher!) the Sunflower was domesticated for food production by the Native Americans. Lewis and Clark made mention in their journals, and it was brought back to the Old World by the early European explorers and widely cultivated there, too.
Sunflowers exhibit heliotropism. At sunrise, the faces of most sunflowers are turned towards the east. Over the course of the day, they move to track the sun from east to west, while at night they return to an eastward orientation.
What is usually called the flower is actually a head of numerous flowers crowded together. The outer flowers can be yellow, maroon, orange, or other colors. The seeds inside the circular head that we eat are actually fruit, while the true seeds are encased in an inedible husk. (This sounds like it was created in Dick Cheney's office to hide the truth!)
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