🌻 Sunflower

The Sunflower is a tall, bright yellow flower.

🌱 How It Grows

A sunflower grows from a single seed into a tall plant in just a few months. Its big flower head is really hundreds of tiny flowers packed together. The yellow petals around the edge attract bees, and the small flowers in the middle each turn into a seed after bees carry pollen to them. The seeds form a beautiful spiral pattern.

🔎 Where It Grows and How People Use It

Sunflowers first grew in North America, and today big fields of them are grown in Ukraine, Russia, Argentina and the USA. Their seeds are pressed into sunflower oil for cooking or roasted as a snack, and birds love them in winter bird feeders. They are also one of the easiest flowers for kids to grow in a garden.

🏫 Classroom Activity

Plant sunflower seeds in small cups and have children track their growth over several weeks, measuring the stem's height each day.

🏠 Homeschool Activity

Place a sunflower (real or drawn) near a window and observe how it tilts toward the light throughout the day. Count the spiral pattern of seeds in a real sunflower head if you have one.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Why do sunflowers follow the sun?

Young sunflowers track the sun across the sky, called heliotropism, to soak up more light.

How tall can sunflowers grow?

Some grow taller than a grown-up, over 12 feet tall.

How many seeds does a sunflower have?

A single head can hold over 1,000 tiny seeds.

What do sunflowers need to grow?

Sunlight, water, and air, like all plants.

What activities help kids learn about sunflowers?

Planting a seed and tracking growth, counting seeds, roasting and tasting seeds, or coloring a printable worksheet.

🔗 Related Learning