Re: [gardeners] Re: Sunflowers
Janni (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Mon, 24 Jun 2002 19:47:29 -0500
That would be Urban Legend. LOL I am off to do research!! Just found out
that I have acute glaucoma in my left eye. Bah! So I am researching this
strange turn of events in my life.
Janni
> I wonder if the whole thing about sunflowers turning isn't a "suburban
>legend". Our sunflowers are grown out in the full sun and they follow the
>brightest light somewhat while still in the bud stage but after they are in
>full bloom, the heads remain pretty stationary.
>
>When your sunflowers follow the sun, do they return along the same arc at
>night? Or do they flip back at sunrise to face the rising sun? Or do they
>keep on going around to complete the orbit? Why didn't the plant that
>turned 360 degrees twist its head off?
>
>A few years back, we parked our RV next to a field of sunflowers in bloom in
>Kansas for 24 hours and those did not follow the sun either.
>
>Olin
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: "George Shirley" <gshirl@bellsouth.net>
> >...
> > My youngest did a science fair experiment in junior high that involved
>potted sunflowers and sun
> > lamps. He finally had one plant that turned 360 degrees.
> >
> > When we had the two acres of them it was neat to watch them follow the sun
>across the sky. The field
> > was oriented east/west and the sunflowers started facing the SE right
>after dawn and slowly worked
> > their way to the SW by sunset.