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Sunflowers - A Photo Gallery of Different Kinds of Sunflowers
A wild sunflower
Big Sunflower Photo
Sunflowers in Art
Sunflowers
Sunflowers make me so happy! As a flower lover in general, its hard for me to choose an absolute favorite flower. Sunflowers are near the top of the list though for sure. They seem to bring so much joy, so much personality to a garden.
Did you know that sunflowers are native to the Americas? They may have originated from Central America. In ancient Central American cultures, the sunflower was venerated and highly honored as a symbol of sun gods and found throughout their artwork as such.
Sunflower Seeds - A Great Snack!
Not only are sunflowers a beautiful flower but they are also used for food. You can eat the seeds of the sunflower and cooking oil can also be made from the sunflower's seeds. They are not just a treat for humans, but birds of course absolutely love them, never mind the squirrels and more!
One of my most favorite treats are a caramel covered sunflower seed type of candy. It's marvelous! One can find chocolate covered sunflower seeds as well as a gourmet candy treat. I have seen them come in many colors.
Sunflowers grow best in full sunlight, and don't really require too much attention to get a start and keep on growing. They love to face the sun, and if you have ever grown one in a pot, and had to move it, you can see it turn back toward the direction of the main source of sunshine!
Planting Sunflowers
You can purchase sunflowers already growing, but you can't beat the fun of growing some yourself, from seed. Look for the mammoth sunflower seeds if you are going for bigger ones. Just remember to stake your flower, as they can take a beating in a big storm or wind, when their flowers start to really grow big.
Just yesterday, I drove by the cutest garden near where I live. I saw they had their sunflowers growing where wildlife couldn't get to them. I thought that was pretty smart, and beats the disappointment of waiting so long for a beautiful flower, only to find the animals came and wanted to gobble up the not yet ready seeds.
One time, I was short on time, and just pushed a few into the dirt with my thumb, and kept them watered after that. Its like a miracle growing in your garden.
Once, I grew many different kinds of sunflowers one summer, and that was great fun. I hope to plant one of those gardens again! If you have never grown sunflowers, I hope you will consider doing so one day. Its very rewarding, and doesn't cost hardly anything. What joy they bring as well!
Sunflowers as an Inspiration
Sunflowers are very popular in art. One of Vincent Van Gogh's most famous paintings was about sunflowers. There are also some other very interesting things about sunflowers. The sunflower's face is a cluster of much smaller flower petals. The clusters are oddly and interestingly arranged in a unique way. The small clusters of flowers on the face of the sunflower are arranged or in seemingly mathematical patterns. The patterns seem to be similar to golden ratios or Fibonacci sequences. I find that very curious that a beautiful flower such as the sunflower also has some mathematical significance or some kind of fractal that is intrinsic in its growth. For me, that makes the sunflower not only a beautiful flower and plant but also sort of mysterious in its own way!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vincent_Willem_van_Gogh_127.jpg
Photos
These photos in this photo gallery, apart from Van Gogh's art of course, are pictures I have taken over time of sunflowers in some of the different places I have seen and enjoyed them. I hope you enjoyed this mini sunflower tour of a not so "mini" flower!
© Copyright 2012 by Oceansnsunsets. All Rights Reserved.
Multitudes of Sunflowers!
Sunflowers Poll
Have you ever grown your own sunflowers?
Comments
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Ocfireflies, thank you very much! Yes, I have seen some of the colors of sunflowers you speak of there. They are gorgeous and I have grown some myself over the years. I will try to capture some of those with my camera and share as well in the future. There is such a wide variety that it is amazing. Thank you for your comment.
Your photography is stunning. Have you raised or seen any of the sunflowers that come in a deep reddish burgundy color? I have only seen them once a long time ago in a friend's garden.
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Seafarer Mama, I am like you in that I love both sunflowers and Van Gogh, but how great they are your favorites! It is a far distant memory, but I can recall seeing a Van Gogh painting of sunflowers, and just loving it immediately. There is just something about it, and his style of art that make them so lovely and easy to admire. Very glad you stopped by and left a comment, thank you.
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Patsy, I am so happy you liked the hub and its pictures of sunflowers! Its great to hear of others who also love sunflowers, especially when they are your favorite flower! Thank you very much for your vote, tweet and pin! I really appreciate it.
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Hello Sallie, I am so glad to hear these photos made your day brighter! As for caramel covered sunflower seeds, I need to find out where to get those also! That sounds wonderful!
Thank you for this beautiful tribute to sunflowers. They are truly my favorite flower, as van Gogh is my favorite artist. :0)
I love this hub. These are great photos and very useful info. Voted up, tweeted, pinned.
Your photos made my day brighter - as it is hot, overcast and gloomy here today! Beautiful! Caramel covered sunflower seeds?!!! Where can I get THOSE? Yum!
- Author
Gail, I loved your comment, thank you. As for the backside of a sunflower, I know its not your normal view, but they can be very interesting!
I hope you might try to grow some one day in your garden. They can get top heavy, and I like to grow them not far from some support, that I could string it to if need be.
As for feeling joy when seeing them, I am the same way. They are really quite showy and bold flowers, even from a field rather far away. Simply lovely! Thanks for your comment and votes.
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Gypsy, thank you so much. I think its wonderful that your mother's favorite flower was the beautiful sunflower. I can see why for sure. They are so happy and full of life and color and brightness.
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Fennelseed, your comment made me smile, thanks so much! I think it has been really fun to try out different kinds of seeds over the years, especially ones with the different browns in them, etc. I'm so glad you enjoyed the hub and photos here. Have a great day.
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Shalini, thanks for your comment and sharing of my sunflower hub. I love what you said about sunflowers radiating light, and makes the environment bright and colorful. How true that is!
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Hi Gypsy, thanks for your kind words on my hub. As for edible, I have memories very far back, of having toasted and salted sunflower seeds, as many others have I am sure. A fun snack that is healthy as well. Thank you for passing it on!
I love sunflowers and the photos in this hub captures the joy I always feel when I see them in someone's garden or in a field.
I've never grown them in my own garden, but think I might try next year as you've made it sound quite easy.
I particularly liked the photo of the backside of the sunflower - that is definitely a presentation that I've failed to fully appreciate until seeing your photo of it.
Voted up across the board except for funny.
Lovely hub. Sunflowers are so beautiful and were my Mom's favorite flower. Beautiful photos, well done!
I love sunflowers and your beautiful photos are a treat. The flower heads are so incredibly intricate. I grow the big sunflowers in summer and will look out for some other varieties. I love the one with the russet brown colour! Lovely and interesting hub, my votes to you and sharing.
Sunflower indeed radiates light and makes the environment bright and colorful
thank you for the useful hub, shared
This is a lovely, informative and colorful hub. Love those pictures. Sunflowers are great to look at and I knew the seed were edible. Thanks for sharing. Passing this on.
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Snowdrops, thank you! Sunflowers have to be the #1 flower for making people happy I think. If not, near the top of the list for sure. I don't have as much time for gardening either, as I used to. Here is to hoping for more time in the future for more sunflowers!
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Billybuc, so glad you liked the pictures of sunflowers here. I totally agree with you, that sunflowers are a happy kind of flower! Its one of the reasons I love them so much probably.
This is very beautiful! Sunflowers makes me happy. I have a lot of these in my garden..bu tthat was a long time ago when I still had time and im home..i miss planting and watering sunflowers..oh so beautiful!
Very nice pictures....I love sunflowers.....they are a happy flower.
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