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 to grow them in your garden, then this is the perfect article for you. Go through this article to know 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 the resemblance to the sun. however, they possess a special characteristic of heliotropism. It means that the object moves itself according to the position of the sun. sunflowers also align their petals according to the sun throughout the day. Mythological significance of sunflower: You will be surprised to know that the sunflower is actually connected to Greek mythology. Sunflowers signify 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 bury 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 areRussian Mammoth,Sunforest Mix,and Skyscraper. Birds get easily attracted by tall sunflowers. That ultimately help in seed dispersal. The longest known sunflower is 30 feet tall, found in Germany. The dwarf variety is less than 3 feet. They commonly grow in clusters. You can keep them in pots or your home gardens. Some examples of dwarf variety are Pacino,Suntastic Yellow,and Little Becka. Sunflower is extremely beneficial for your health: Apart from beautiful petals, sunflowers provide enormous health benefits. Sunflower seeds are processed to prepare sunflower oil. It possesses anti-inflammatory potentials. This oil is suggested by nutritionists who are suffering from heart-related disease. It also helps in controlling the cholesterol level in the blood. It can be the perfect alternative to butter and other oils. However, not all seeds of sunflower 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?
