Pictures of Flowers Sunflower Plant Pictures and Sunflower Plant Kind

By Pictures of flowers

on March 8, 2009

Pictures of Flowers Sunflower Plant Pictures and Sunflower Plant Kind

Sunflower is an annual plant native to America, which is famous for its large showy flowers. The genus has more than 60-70 species. Most common species grows from 3 to 10 feet height. Each flowerhead consists of a disk of small, tubular flowers surrounded by a fringe of large yellow petals. Each flowerhead can measure up to 1 foot in diameter and contain about 1000 seeds. The head turns and faces toward the sun throughout the day. Seeds are actually the fruits ? achene ? of the sunflower plant.

Sunflowers need full sun and grow best in fertile, moist and well-drained soils. For commercial plantings, the seeds are planted 1.5 feet apart and 1 inch deep. Sunflower seeds are rich in protein and used extensively in making vegetable oil. Whole seeds of sunflower are sold as snack food, which are used in roasted form with or without salt. Sunflowers are also used as an alternative to peanut butter. Sunbutter is a favorite product in China, Russia, the Middle East, the United States and Europe. In Germany, sunflower is used as sunflower whole seed bread by mixing it with rye flour. Sunflower oil is used extensively all over the world as vegetable oil and in making margarine and biodiesel.