Sunflowers

One of the most unique flowers that I’ve grown in my garden is the sunflower.
How can one not love a plant that can grow to 10 feet tall, and have a flower that is 12 inches across. Its uses vary from being the subject of Van Gogh’s famous painting, to a healthy snack. One of the most unique applications of the sunflower is to extract toxic ingredients from soil, such as lead, arsenic and uranium. They were actually used extensively to remove radiation from the soil and water ways after the Chernobyl disaster.
The amazing thing about the sunflower is its heliotropic ability. At sunrise, the faces of most sunflowers are turned towards the east. Over the course of the day, they follow the sun from east to west, while at night they return to an eastward orientation. As the bud stage ends, the stem stiffens and the blooming stage is reached, the flower head generally faces east for good. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. Psalm 84:11