Sunflower

Tuesday, March 15 | Cut Flower Profiles, Cut Flowers

A member of the Aster family, the sunflower’s botanical name is Helianthus from the Greek words for sun (helios) and flower (anthus).  The flower is native to the southern and western parts of the U.S. and has been cultivated for hundreds of years by native americans as a food crop. Sunflowers continue to be grown around the world for their nutritional value.  Only recently have ornamental varieties been developed for cut flower production.  Fun fact:  Sunflower stems were used to fill life jackets before the advent of modern materials.