SUNFLOWER

The sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is a living annual plant in the family Asteraceae, with a large flower head (capitulum). The stem of the flower can grow up to 3 metres tall, with a flower head that can be 30 cm wide. Other types of sunflowers include the California Royal Sunflower, which has a burgundy (red + purple) flower head. The sunflower is the state flower of Kansas. That is why Kansas is sometimes called the Sunflower State. To grow well, sunflowers need full sun. They grow best in fertile, wet, well-drained soil with a lot of mulch. In commercial planting, seeds are planted 45 cm (1.5 ft) apart and 2.5 cm (1 in) deep.

Sunflower "whole seed" (fruit) are sold as a snack food, after roasting in ovens, with or without salt added. Sunflowers can be processed into a peanut butter alternative, Sunbutter. In Germany, it is mixed together with rye flour to make Sonnenblumenkernbrot (literally: sunflower whole seed bread), which is quite popular in German-speaking Europe. It is also sold as food for birds and can be used directly in cooking and salads. Sunflower oil, extracted from the seeds, is used for cooking, as a carrier oil and to produce margarine and biodiesel, as it is cheaper than olive oil. A range of sunflower varieties exist with differing fatty acid compositions; some 'high oleic' types contain a higher level of healthy monounsaturated fats in their oil than Olive oil.

In cultivating sunflowers either as ornamental plants or for taking seeds, of course it is necessary to pay attention to the seeds that will be the forerunner. Where by choosing good and right seeds, of course, will produce plants, flowers or seeds that are as expected. For additional information in reviewing how to grow and treat sunflowers, you need to know some types of sunflower seeds. Where the first is Mammoth Gray, by using this seed the height of this ornamental plant can reach more than 2 meters. This Mammoth Gray seed has a white color with blackish brown stripes with a fairly large seed size. The next type of seed is Velvet Queen. The height of flower plants can reach 1 meter later. Where the color of the flowers can be reddish yellow. Characteristics of the seeds are slender and shorter than mammoth gray.

Source: https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunflower

Picture: Google