Suddenly Sunflowers!
. It wasn't until the 16th century that the Sunflower arrived in Europe, where it rapidly became one of the most common garden plants. It is said that Russian Czar Peter the Great discovered the sunflower while on a trip to Holland, and was responsible for beginning one of the first - and largest - enterprises in cultivating the Flower. At one point, the Russian Orthodox Church indirectly boosted the use of Sunflower by creating a list of ''prohibited oils/foods" that could not be used during Lent. As the Sunflower was luckily not included on the list, byproducts of the plant experienced a surge in popularity almost immediately. By the late 1800's, Russian farmers were harvesting over 2 million acres of Sunflower each year.
The Chinese grew Sunflower as a commercial crop, and it is said that the fibers of the stalk were often mixed in with their silks to strengthen the textile.
Modern day usage of all parts of the Sunflower are widespread. What is truly admirable about the Sunflower is that every part of the plant is not only ornamental, but also useful and even economical. The leaves can be used medicinally as well as in creating a nutritious feed for poultry and cattle. Feeding chickens on sunflower seed is supposed to increase their laying power. The stems are quite fibrous, and can be used in making papers. And of course, we already know the seed is multifunctional! The oils can be used in foods, as well as for practical uses such as candle and soap making, and at certain points in history was also used to dress wool and in making ammunition. The oil is excellent as a drying oil for paints, much as linseed oil, as well as for a lubricant. Various parts of the plant can be used to create natural dyes in colors ranging from yellows, to greens and even purples. The roasted seed can also be used to make a drink reminiscent of coffee…yet to my palate, tastes more like chicory or dandelion root coffee, than coffee-bean coffee.
Medicinal Use
Sunflower seeds have diuretic as well as expectorant properties, and thus have been used successfully for the treatment of bronchial ailments such as bronchitis, coughs, colds, and whooping cough. Modern homeopathic use for Sunflowers includes treatment for
en ailments, intermittent fever, nosebleed, nausea, and vomiting. A tea of the toasted seed may be used for whooping cough.
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