Characteristics

A sunflower is classified as a flower, however, hundreds of flowers grow within the brown center, therefore, a sunflower is actually a flower head consisting of florets. The florets located within the cluster usually form a spiral pattern, ultimately representing a Fibonacci numbers. The typical pattern of seeds within a medium sized flower head are, 34 spirals in one direction and 55 in the opposite, and in a larger head 89 in one direction followed by 144 in the opposite. A sunflowers head diameter can range in measures from 3 to 14 inches. The rather thick, hairy, and light green stem that supports hundreds of florets usually grows straight up from 3-15 feet tall with a few large, rough, hear-shaped leaves.

The sunflower has the ability to rotate its head throughout the day to maximize the amount of sunlight it receives. The flower head starts out facing eastward to soak up the sunrise, then during mid-day motor cells located in the sunflower's stem tilts the flower head so it can receive the maximum amount of sunlight, and finally, in the evening, the sunflower rotates its head westward, to absorb the sunset rays. Overnight, the sunflower prepares it's self to follow the suns path the next day by rotating its head towards the east. When the sunflower is in the blooming stage it no longer follows the sun's path anymore.

Contact: Toi Spaeth