sunflower

Sunflower History and Folkore

Sunflowers are native American plants with an ancient history in Mesoamerica. They were grown by the Aztecs who used them for food and medicine.

According to common lore, sunflowers move their blooms to face the sun. As someone who has grown a lot of sunflowers in many different varieties I can confidently say that this may be true of smaller varieties, but the big giant farm style sunflowers with their stiff hard stems are stuck facing East.

Sunflowers are hyperaccumulators. They pull toxins out of the soil. This means that they can be used to cleanse polluted sites, but also that they can accumulate lead and other toxins that can then enter our diet. So take care where you put them!

Sunflower in the Garden

A sunflower head is a large pseudanthium (false flower) made up of hundreds of small flowers. What we might see as bright and showy petals are ray florets; sterile flowers that flag down pollinators. The good stuff is in the disc flowers, tiny fertile flowers full of nectar and pollen that will eventually become sunflower seeds.

The disc flowers, and the seeds that follow, are arranged in a Fermat’s Spiral following the Fibonacci sequence which allows it to fit the maximum amount of seeds in the limited space of its disc. (Basically its a continuous spiral that turns back on itself and expands by doubling. Sort of.) Mathematicians can have a great time with this, but it’s also very satisfying to just gaze on the pattern. I am a Kitchen Witch and satisfied to know that cool maths exist without trying to figure them out. See also Golden Ratio, Golden Mean.

The flower is borne on a stiff, fibrous stalk covered in coarse, bristly hairs. Depending on the variety, this stalk may be up to 12 feet tall. Often flowers are borne singly at the top of the stalk, but some varieties do produce multiple smaller blooms rather than just one big one.

Sunflower prefer well-drained Soil and full sun

Sunflowers are annuals that grow during a warm season and go to seed in the autumn.

They need at least 6-8 hours of full sun per day.

Sunflower seeds can be planted indoors three to four weeks before your last frost or planted directly in the garden once the danger of frost has passed.  Plant seeds 1-2 inches deep and at least six inches apart for smaller varieties and at least a foot apart for taller ones.

The seeds and young shoots are very attractive to wildlife, so keep them covered until they get good sturdy stalks. Then you’ll have to protect them again once they start forming seeds.

Sunflower seedlings do not compete well with other plants, so weed well and wait to interplant until they start to get some growth. I like to edge the garden with sunflowers on the North and West sides so they don’t shade the rest of the garden when they grow tall.

Don’t let the soil get too soggy but don’t let them dry out. They are less sensitive to drying out when they are a bit bigger, but they still don’t like wet feet. A good mulch once they’ve got about a foot of growth will keep the soil moist while discouraging weeds.

Very tall varieties may need support to keep them from falling over. I like to grow mine along the fence so I can easily tie them up if I need to.

The seeds will be ready to harvest when the ray flowers have faded and the head is drooping toward the ground. Harvest them before you think you need to because the second you notice they’re almost ready the squirrels will too! Hang the seed head upside down inside a bag of some sort to catch the seeds. Make sure there is good ventilation. Once the seed head is completely dry you can rub off any remaining seeds.

Sunflower in the Kitchen

Every part of a sunflower is edible though most of it is too tough to chew once it is mature. Sunflower microgreens are tasty additions to salads, the young stalks can be peeled and steamed or eaten fresh and the unopened buds can be cooked like artichokes.

Sunflower seeds can be pressed for cooking oil or eaten whole or ground into sun butter for a nut-free peanut butter alternative. They are high in protein and anti-oxidents.

The petals can be used to create a bright yellow food safe dye.

Helianthus annuus for Healing

Sunflower seeds are rich in Vitamin E, selenium, magnesium, phytosterols and chlorogenic acid.

Sunflower leaves are expectorant, febrifuge, astringent and anti-inflammatory which makes them useful for colds and wound care.

Those with allergies to other Asteraceae species (such as ragweed and daisies) should approach sunflower with caution.

Sunflower seed oil makes a great neutral carrier oil for aromatherapy and massage.

Sunflower Magick

Corresponds to Leo, the Sun and the element of Fire.

Sunflowers are bold and bright and stand taller than most other plants in the garden. They demand to attention. Use them in spells to increase fame or visibility. Place sunflowers in vase on your altar when doing work to draw attention to your work or add the large ray flowers to an herbal bath before an event to ensure everyone notices you. Add rosemary to make sure you make a memorable impression.

Use sunflower heads or petals in spells to reveal the truth or to banish anything that would cloud to the truth.

Sunflower seeds symbolize potential. Add them to spell pouches to increase chances of conception and also for symbolic quickening of your goals.

Grow sunflowers around your home to keep dark energies at bay and to ward off the evil eye.

Plant sunflower seed with intention to grow your goals.