Sunflowers

Banner Sunflowers

Who doesn't immediately start to shine when they see a sunflower? This flower brings joy and a happy mood and can help to lighten the mood, especially on gray days. Sunflowers are seen by many as a symbol of strength, but that's not the only meaning this flower is associated with. Admiration and loyalty are other meanings that can be attributed to this bright yellow flower. Read more about the sunflower here.

origin

The sunflower is originally from America, where the locals used the kernel as food, medicine and for personal care. The sunflower seeds were first transported to Europe by the Spaniards around 1550. The sunflower has spread across Europe since the 16th century.

The name

The Latin name of the sunflower is Helianthus annuus. This is a combination of the words helios and anthos. Helios means sun and anthos means flower. This means that the German name is a literal translation. This is definitely not for nothing, because the sunflower looks very similar to the sun. Or at least the way we see the sun. Because if you paint a sun, you probably start with a circle first, and then paint the sun's rays to go with it. These are either simple lines or triangles that look almost exactly like the sunflower leaves. Hence the name of this flower makes sense.

Meaning of a sunflower

For many, sunflowers symbolize summer. They convey a happy mood and are reminiscent of a warm summer day. Therefore, you may not be surprised that sunflowers symbolize sun and love. Both meanings can be associated with warmth. The sunflower is therefore perfect if you want to convey passion, happiness, admiration, love or friendship.

In the 19th century there was the following statement: “Where you are, I also want to be - like with sunflower and sun”. Like the sun, the sunflower was seen as a symbol of loyalty and love that accompanies you from morning to evening. If you want to show your loyalty to your partner, you can tell this story with the sunflower. Since not everyone is familiar with this side of the sunflower, an explanation may be required. To do this, you can write the saying, for example, on the card provided.

Food for the sunflower

Sunflowers need a little more care than most other flowers. Their stems are hairy, which is why they pollute the water more quickly. Also, you have a tendency to hang your head at times. So that you can enjoy the bright, happy sunflowers for as long as possible, you should take proper care of the flowers. Before you put the flowers in the vase, cut the stems at an angle. It is important to cut the flowers at an angle so that they can better absorb the water and food. Because the stems are relatively thick and stiff, they are not so easy to cut. Therefore, you should either use a sharp knife or special flower scissors.

While most flowers prefer cold or lukewarm water, the sunflowers also like hot water. The hot, non-boiling water will prevent the flowers from drooping. Therefore, you should put the sunflowers in hot water. After half an hour you can replace the water with lukewarm water. Even if the flowers droop after a few days, you can pour some hot water into the vase so that the flowers shine again.

It is also important not to put too much water in the vase. Because the stems could become moldy and sticky, which does not benefit the water quality. It is therefore important to only add a minimal amount of water and then check regularly whether there is still enough water available. Because without enough water, your sunflower dries up quickly.

You definitely want to enjoy the radiant sunflowers for more than a week. It is therefore important to replace the water every 3 days or so. It's best to add some flower food every time. Don't you have any flower food within reach? Then you can use some bleach water if necessary as this will kill the bacteria. If you follow all these tips and do not place the sunflowers near a fruit bowl, nothing stands in the way of a long service life. With the right care, the sunflowers will stay fresh in your home for up to eleven days.

On what occasion?

A sunflower is the right choice in many situations. Since they convey a certain happiness, they definitely go well with happy occasions. But especially if you want to lighten someone's mood, sunflowers are also excellent as a get-well wish. You can also take sunflowers with you as a surprise for your love partner. Because you not only convey your love and loyalty, but also bring happiness home with you straight away.

A cool feature of the sunflower

Perhaps you've seen it before: the sunflowers rotate during the day. But why? The part of the flower that is in the shade forms the substance auxin. This encourages the flower to grow. Therefore, the side in the shade grows faster than the side in the sun. As the day progresses, the sunflower will continue to move towards the sun. That way it grows evenly. Only when the flower is in full bloom does the flower point all the time to the east, where the sun comes up.

Different types of sunflowers

When you think of a sunflower, you definitely think of the flawless yellow flowers and brown interior. Many sunflowers actually look like this. However, there are more species as well. Today we know almost 70 species that differ in flower shape, height, lifespan and color. Sometimes you can also find sunflowers with orange or even red-brown flowers.

The Length

You have probably already driven along meadows with sunflowers several meters high. However, if you buy sunflowers as cut flowers, they are usually less than a meter high. This has to do with the fact that there are different varieties. While the shortest are only 20 to 30 centimeters tall, the largest are even four to five meters high. In the smaller varieties, the flower heads are 10 to 20 cm in diameter, while the largest sunflowers can reach a diameter of over 40 cm.

When are sunflowers planted

Even if you are longing for the happy sunflowers in winter, you have to wait at least until the end of April before you can grow the flowers in your own garden. Because if there is still frost after sowing, the grains are unlikely to develop properly, which means that you will not have sunflowers in the summer.

When do the sunflowers bloom

The sunflowers bloom from June to October and are therefore really part of summer. Exactly how long and when the sunflowers bloom has to do with a number of factors. With the first frost at the latest, the flowers will unfortunately stop blooming, as they cannot tolerate sub-zero temperatures at all. Not only we, but also bees and birds love the sunflower. If you want to attract more bees and birds to your garden, it is worth planting sunflowers in your garden.

Grow your own sunflowers

Do you have sunflowers in your garden yourself? Then you should give them enough water. If the flower does not get enough water, it will hang its head. In addition, it is important to keep the snails away from the flowers. Because snails are a big fan of the leaves of the sunflower. You can therefore sprinkle some salt, coffee powder or wood ash in a circle around the flower, for example. Doesn't this work? Then try a special slug pellet.

If you want to cut off the sunflowers, it is important to cut the flowers at an angle when the flower is almost open. Would you, however, like to continue to use the seeds of the flower? Then you should wait to harvest the flower. You can cover the flower heads with a cloth or something similar so that the birds do not steal the kernels from you and protect them from moisture. Is the back of the sunflower brown? Then it's time to cut the flower. Hang the flower upside down in a well-ventilated room. After a few weeks the kernels will be dry.

Would you like more sunflowers in your garden? Then it is best to sow the kernels in mid-May. Seeding works as follows: loosen the soil so that the roots of the flower can nestle well. Next, mix fertilizer grains with the soil. You can then make holes the size of your thumb in the soil. The holes should be about 30 to 45 inches apart. After that, you can plant two cores per hole. Seal the holes with soil and water regularly. Now it's time to wait for the flowers to grow.

Buy sunflowers

Is summer just around the corner and do you want to wish a friend a pleasant vacation? With the summer field bouquet, the holiday is definitely introduced very nicely. A colorful field bouquet with sunflowers is also suitable for other occasions. A regional florist's field bouquet does not consist only of sunflowers; Roses and the lisianthus are also part of this cheerful flower arrangement! Of course, when the season is right, you can also buy lots of sunflowers.

Would you like to order a bouquet from the Regionsflorist

Then you can count on a 7-day freshness guarantee. This means that the flowers that are delivered to you will stay fresh for at least a week. We deliver flowers throughout Germany