Kara's Garden

These were some more free seeds I received when I ordered other plants. I just love freebies!

Sunflowers are annual plants that produce these gorgeous flower heads. Inside the heads are where the plant produces its seeds. They received their name not only because the flower looks like a sun, but it looks at the sun. Sunflowers are heliotropic, meaning they will face the sun as it moves across the sky. Once the flower has completely formed and set, however, they stop their daily track and usually face east, like mine have. They are also the state flower of Kansas.

It is possible to harvest sunflower seeds from the heads of the flowers. According to various sources, the best thing to do is wait until the flowers start to die off, then snip them from the stems and hang them upside down until they dry out. I think I'll have to give it a try!