The beginning of autumn is not only about shedding leaves and flowers. It's seed harvest time. Many of us love yellow sunflowers when in summer these flowers look like a happy, energetic sun. Some even believe that it symbolizes happiness.
Sunflowers are admirable not only for us, people and often bring a "cottage atmosphere" to the garden. Pollinators also like them and are one of the most valuable flowers of annuals.
They are heat and drought resistant thanks to their deep root system and hairy stem. therefore they also feel better and better due to the climate change.
The grace and simplicity of sunflowers make them blend in nicely with other plants in the garden.
Their bright yellow flower head, sunflowers are like a magnet for pollinators and are therefore often visited by these insects.
Last spring I sowed sunflower seeds into pots and waited for these beautiful flowers until it appears. Every day I watched when the little bud would come and start blooming and the stem would get taller and taller.
Sunflowers only bloom for 3 to 4 weeks, but are an abundant source of pollen and nectar for bees, bumblebees and other insects. After blooming, the end result is replacing the existing inflorescence with seeds.
Finally, I could try these seeds and get them out of the inflorescence, and these are the best in the world, plenty of vitamins!
I try them as an addition to various dishes. Seeds also produce sunflower oil, and even pigments.
However, if it were not for the work of pollinators, mainly bees and bumblebees, sunflowers would not produce seeds. And these, in turn, would not allow the flowering cycle to repeat itself in an additional year.
Sunflowers are not only great because of their yellow coloured flowers and seeds. Some sources shown that the sunflowers are suitable for imprisonment of toxins and pollution from the soil.
After the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, whole patches of sunflowers were planted.
Now, these beautiful flowers are not only a great choice as a flower bouquet for the occasion, but are a symbol of a free Ukraine and motherland. And together with the blue sky as a background, they symbolize the Flag of Ukraine.
Sunflowers are not only a great and simple choice for us humans, they are liked by pollinators and for birds. And they are used as food for them in winter. We should plant them more and more each spring.
