The Strange History of The Sunflower
Published by What is there to know about the sunflower? The plant is virtually everywhere, but it has a rather strange history and is more of a globe trotter than you may imagine. Its story has the historical and continental sweep of a Hollywood epic. Here is the tale of the peripatetic sunflower, accompanied by some stunning photography.
Sunflowers originate from North America but would travel to the Old World and back – and back again – in their centuries old journey to what we know today. They were probably one of the first crops to be grown in the Americas. Before this they were picked by hunter gatherers as a natural source of fat. The seeds could be ground up and mixed with flour to make bread much like the pita variety we eat today. Around five thousand years ago people began to farm them in the south-western parts of North America in what is now Mexico. As they were cultivated over the generations the plants were encouraged to produce ever bigger seeds – and many more of them as well. So, the sunflower we have now bears no resemblance to how it was discovered by our ancestors as the human race has interfered with its characteristics for all these thousands of years.
It has been suggested that the sunflower was even domesticated before corn. It was during this time that the Cherokee and other Native Americans also began to farm sunflowers. They became an important part of the diet of these peoples as a good source of fat – which hunter gatherer societies needed to supplement the lean meat they would eat as part of their itinerant lifestyles. Down south in Mexico the Aztecs were also cultivating the plant but also worshipped it. In their temples to the sun, the priestesses would wear headdresses made of sunflowers to give themselves the air of the divine. The past of the sunflower, then, already reveals some ‘secrets’. Yet no one would have guessed what the future of the sunflower held – and the travels it would endure.
As today, the sunflower seed was cracked and eaten as something you can eat between meals without ruining your appetite – albeit a much healthier snack than many we eat today. There are early records of the oil being squeezed and used to make bread too. However, the sunflower was not only a food source. It was used to create a dye of a purple color which was used then to enhance clothing, paint bodies and decorate objects. Other parts of the plant were used to make medicinal remedies for snake bites and ointments. The seed oil was used to lubricate hair and skin. As ancient societies could not afford to waste anything the stalks were dried and then used as a building material.
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51 Responses to “The Strange History of The Sunflower”
On February 15, 2010 at 10:01 pm
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On February 18, 2010 at 7:27 am
Hello
Wow those are awesome photographs and I like all photographs very much.I like sun flower very much.Thank you very much for showing us these beautiful pictures.
On March 15, 2010 at 10:06 am
Very odd, interesting, and enjoyable.
On March 15, 2010 at 10:06 am
Good capture.
On March 15, 2010 at 10:07 am
nice collection.
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On March 15, 2010 at 10:07 am
Interesting article. I love sunflowers and you capture them well here with these great pics. I have always wanted to be able to paint them with the passion Van Gogh had for them…the colours are wonderful.
On March 15, 2010 at 10:07 am
They have indeed had an interesting history, and what a beautiful flower they are!
On March 15, 2010 at 10:08 am
Excellent pics and information. I usually plant a few seeds every year.. and every year the deer gobble them down just as the flowers open
On March 15, 2010 at 10:08 am
I have a row that smile at me in the farmers field opposite my house. Every summer I look for their bright smiling faces. This is a cheery post, thanks.
On March 15, 2010 at 10:08 am
lovely as usual
On March 15, 2010 at 10:08 am
Love sunflowers and the history is amazing.
On March 15, 2010 at 10:09 am
A lovely narration and such beautiful pictures. I enjoyed this, and found full of good information. Thank you!
Janet Meyer
On March 15, 2010 at 10:09 am
One of the coolest things I have ever seen was a large field of Sunflowers outside of Lapeer Michigan. A seed operation of some kind.
On March 15, 2010 at 10:09 am
Outstanding topic you have here RJ, well-researched and with nice photos.
On March 15, 2010 at 10:10 am
nice share..interesting..thnx for sharing..
On March 15, 2010 at 10:11 am
Nice information about sunflowers and the accompanying images are really wonderful.
On March 15, 2010 at 10:11 am
Very interesting article. I learnt something i didn’t know. Thanks for the read
On March 15, 2010 at 10:12 am
Great story.
On March 15, 2010 at 10:12 am
Nice photos.Very good article. Thanks for sharing.
On March 15, 2010 at 10:12 am
Liked the article & the pretty sunflowers too..!!
thanks for the post.
On March 15, 2010 at 10:13 am
Interesting read
cheers for the share
On March 15, 2010 at 10:13 am
I read an article that stated that sunflowers are being used to leach radioctive materials from the area around Chernobyl, because they grow so fast and are easy to handle.
On March 15, 2010 at 10:14 am
Well done RJ! Excellent brief as usual!
On March 15, 2010 at 10:15 am
Loved this article and with being a gardening fan i found it very interesting, lovely pictures too, i love sunflowers and always find a place for a few in my own garden at home, i have also used them in garden designs in the past due to their fantastic architectual qualities, stunning and colourful annual plants,
best regards Aaron
On March 15, 2010 at 10:15 am
Great information you share with us. And picture also too beautiful.
On March 15, 2010 at 10:16 am
Well researched, well written and a very enjoyable read.
On March 15, 2010 at 10:19 am
Oh my, the slut of the flowers really gets around!
Never could grow them from seed. I let the birds do it from the birdseed. Did you know that goldfinches tend to them?
On March 15, 2010 at 10:20 am
Absolutely enjoyed your story! The photography is incredible!! I love sunflowers and I’ve posted a link to your story on my sunflower blog at http://justsunflowers.blogspot.com/2010/02/amazing-story.html
I hope you get even more people reading your story. It truely is amazing!!
Thanks for sharing it.
Deb
On March 15, 2010 at 10:21 am
Interesting information
On March 15, 2010 at 10:22 am
Very interesting account/
On March 15, 2010 at 10:22 am
Nice article. Goes to show that something we own is never appreciated until somebody else tells us it is valuable.
I like the way, you build up the story.
On March 15, 2010 at 10:23 am
excellent & thorough–I have a bunch of birds in my back yard who love sunflower seeds
On March 15, 2010 at 10:23 am
Informative article plus amazing pics!
On March 15, 2010 at 10:24 am
Nice information
On March 15, 2010 at 10:24 am
NIce ones.
On March 15, 2010 at 10:26 am
Oh my gosh, I love sunflowers. I am crazy about sunflowers. Thanks RJ for the spectacular article and lovely pictures. I consider sunflowers to be the most beautiful in the world.
On March 15, 2010 at 10:28 am
Good Knowledge of Sunflower and the pictures also
On March 15, 2010 at 10:29 am
Interesting! Thanks for the share.
On March 15, 2010 at 10:29 am
Great work. A very interesting story. It’s all a circle.
On March 15, 2010 at 10:30 am
great idea
On March 15, 2010 at 10:30 am
As a native of the Sunflower state and having grown up surrounded by these beauties I really do appreciate this tribute to them.
Thank you!
On March 15, 2010 at 10:31 am
What an excellent post about Sunflower.
This appears so unique and thoughtful.
You really did a wonderful work here.
Thank you so much!
On March 15, 2010 at 10:32 am
Wonderful share
On March 15, 2010 at 10:32 am
That’s a story that needed telling. Great article.
On March 15, 2010 at 10:34 am
nice article with a great pictures
On March 15, 2010 at 10:36 am
Great Article! Very informative and surprising!
On March 15, 2010 at 10:37 am
Wow! Very interesting article with awesome pictures to boot! Keep up the good work!
On March 15, 2010 at 10:39 am
This article make sunflowers more interesting which makes it well written article also nice pictures.
On March 15, 2010 at 10:39 am
I didn’t realize the sunflower had such importance within history. The photos are stunning and give one a sense of happiness and optimism. Magical and almost dream like. Great article.
On March 15, 2010 at 10:40 am
every article you write is a must read, please join some magazine or paper, they need you
On March 15, 2010 at 10:40 am
Thanks for sharing this interesting and informative historical facts about sunflower. I love sunflower seeds.
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