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Sunflower
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Years go by, tastes and beauty criteria change, but people still enjoy the sun, its light
and colour. Bright, attractive and extremely spiritual sunflowers bring a smile and
keep our hearts warm. Careless and proud, lofty and kind-hearted – they are widely
used by gardeners and florists. The history of sunflowers goes back to the North America. During archaeological dig researchers discovered 2-3 thousand-year old clay vessels filled with sunflower seeds. The seeds were very small, no longer than 5 mm, but Indians fried them and cooked thick soup out of them. Milled and pressed seeds were used for making balls, which were taken when going on campaigns, sunflower bark was used for extracting oil. Husk was used for making hot drink, which tasted a bit like coffee. Flowers and husk were used for making dye for tattooing and dying cloth; stems and roots - for making medicine against snake bites and fever; dry stalks were used for construction purposes and dry stem core was milled into flour. For Indians the sunflower was a symbol of the Sun. It is believed that they began to cultivate it far earlier than corn, beans or pumpkin. In 1510 the second expedition headed by Christopher Columbus brought sunflower seeds to Europe. They were subsequently planted in Madrid Botanical Gardens. The flower was named the Grass of Sun or the Peruvian Flower of Sun and was later spread throughout Europe and the world. In 1576 a botanist Mathias de Lobel, who was the first to describe the sunflower, legalised the name ‘sunflower’: it was given a Latin name ‘Helianthus’ (Greek ‘helios’ – the sun, and ‘anthos’ – a flower). 150 years later Carl Linney added an ‘an-nuus’ family name to it, i.e. annual. For a long time sunflower was used in the Western Europe for a decorative purpose only. Gardeners and florists collected plants with more branches, more elegant heads, double flowers and of unusual colours. In that period Germany became the centre of sunflower growing. There are various versions of how and when the sunflower appeared in Russia. The most probable is as follows. Seeds were imported by German colonists, who developed the areas between the Volga and the Don in the late 18th century. But even then the plant was used primarily as an ornamental crop, although its oil-extracting characteristics were known already. In particular, in 1794 Academic V M Serverhin wrote in his book ‘The Kingdom of Vegetation’: ‘This plant can be used to heal wounds. It is mostly used as birdseeds for pigeon; it can be used for oil extraction; roasted seeds smell of coffee’. In 1719 sunflower oil production was patented in England. The first mentioning of industrial sunflower growing goes back to 1769. However, it was a Russian peasant Bokarev who invented the economical method of sunflower extraction by seed squashing. The Russian Orthodox Church recognised sunflower oil as a lenten product and it became extremely popular in Russia. In the 19th century some southern regions grew sunflower on half of their plough land. Russian scientists began the selection process of oil-bearing crops in 1860 and in 1912 grew excellent varieties. Sunflower grown for industrial use changed its look: crops were taller, they did not branch out, the only flower and seeds became bigger. In the 20th century Russians, who sought better life, took these big varieties to Canada, Uruguay, Argentina and the USA. Sunflower oil became very popular in these countries, which enjoyed industrial benefits of sunflower growing. Even nowadays such varieties as the Russian Mammoth and the Russian Giant are grown in the above countries. But it is not only the taste and the oil that made the sunflower so popular. In many countries it is one of the most favourite garden flower. In the USA they are particularly popular – they are considered as a symbol of fertility and love of life. They are everywhere to be seen, bright bouquets are demonstrated at all prestigious exhibitions and they are used to decorate wedding cakes. Large American seed- growing companies regularly examine the popularity of flowers. According to them, five most popular American annual flowers are: zinnia, sunflower, marigold, alissum and morning glory. The tallest sunflower, 7.76 m tall, was grown in 1986 in the Netherlands. At all times sunflower was a symbol of life. In the 50-60s of the last century ‘the green’, ‘hippie’ and ‘the flower power’ movements appeared. Their supporters tried to protect the right of the ‘natural person’ in the world of wars, destruction and natural disasters. The sunflower is on the emblem of the hippies and the greens. Many artists recorded their love for this flower in their pictures. One of them is particularly closely connected with the sunflower. In 1888-1890 Van Gogh created his famous series ‘Sunflowers’, which included seven pictures. Sunflower was the source of inspiration for many other impressionists – in all their works sunflowers are cheerful and optimistic. By an act of the Kansas legislature, approved by Gov. Bailey on March 12, 1903, the sunflower was made the official state flower. The full text of the act, as introduced by Senator George P. Morehonse, is as follows: "Whereas, Kansas has a native wild flower common throughout her borders, hardy and conspicuous, of definite, unvarying and striking shape, easily sketched, molded and carved, having armorial capacities, ideally adapted for artistic reproduction, with its strong, distinct disk and its golden circle of clear glowing rays—a flower that a child can draw on a slate, a woman can work in silk, or a man can carve on stone or fashion in clay; and "Whereas, This flower has to all Kansans a historic symbolism which speaks of frontier days, winding trails, pathless prairies, and is full of the life and glory of the past, the pride of the present, and richly emblematic of the majesty of a golden future, and is a flower which has given Kansas a world-wide name, 'the Sunflower State'; therefore, "Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas. "Section 1, That the helianthus or wild native sunflower is hereby made, designated and declared to be the state flower and floral emblem of the State of Kansas.’ Kansas can boast of 11 sunflower varieties. In September all open spaces in the area of Grand Valleys are covered with blooming sunflower bushes. |
 Sunflower  It was Christopher Columbus who brought sunflower seeds to Europe  Industrial growth of sunflower began in 1769   Vincent Van Gogh painted a ‘Sunflower’ series comprising 7 paintings  Sunflower is a symbol of the US Kansas State |
