Re: [gardeners] Re: Sunflowers
George Shirley (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Mon, 24 Jun 2002 20:21:02 -0500
No Urban Legend, they actually do follow the sun. Go to the following web page for some interesting
stuff on sunflowers.
http://www.arandps.act.edu.au/environment/sunflowr/# History and folklore
George
Janni wrote:
>
> 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.