Did you know that one species of sunflower is in danger of extinction? Unfortunately, yes. It is the Helianthus verticillatus.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service together with the state of Georgia, listed Helianthus verticillatus as one of the endangered species since 2014.
Helianthus verticillatus is also known as the Whorled Sunflower. It is the only sunflower that has whorled leaves in its mid stem.
It grows in Georgia, northeast Alabama and southwest Tennessee.
The main reasons for this species declining population are conversion of lands into farmland, pasture, pine plantation, as well as mechanical disturbances like ditching, draining and tree felling.
The state of Georgia implemented a conservation agreement to help protect the Georgia’s Coosa Valley prairies where some rare ad endangered plants and animals inhabit.
Did you know that sunflower is Ukraine’s National Flower? Yes! Ularine is the world leader in sunflower in producing almost half of the world’s sunflower oil.
Did you know that a young sunflower faces the direction of the sun? Yes! The sunflower’s devotion has a story in Greek mythology.
It was written in Greek mythology that Clytie, a water nymph, who is in loved with Apollo, got jealous with Leucothea and told Orchamus, king of Persia about her love affair with Apollo. Orchamus punished her daughter and she was buried alive. Enraged Apollo turned Clytie into a sunflower.
Clytie’s love and devotion to Apollo was known to be the reason why the sunflower’s flower follows the direction of the sun.
Sunflower is a symbol of devotion, admiration, happiness, honesty, peace and optimism.
Sunflower blooms in summer which means we can enjoy this beautiful flower in the fields soon. \
Poem written by Salvacion Roselle Reyes
Photo credit: Adobe Creative Cloud Express