History

The sunflower success story really starts after its introduction in Russia. The Holy Orthodox Church of Russia forbade the use of many foods during Lent and Advent, including many which were rich in oil. The Russians eagerly accepted the sunflower recognizing it as a source of oil that could be eaten without breaking the laws of the church. Russia soon became the foremost producer of sunflower seed, a title they still hold. In the last 50 years, the Russians have bred sunflowers for high oil and improved resistance.

In 1966, an open-pollinated, Russian-bred cultivar was introduced into the United States. This and other cultivars began the first sustained commercial production in the U.S. of the oil-seed type of sunflower. Since 1966 many research programs in the U.S. have improved the oil yield in sunflower hybrids. The sunflower now ranks second among all seed crops in the world as an important source of edible vegetable oil.

Cultivars

Sunflowers grown in home gardens are divided into two categories - Helianthus and edible seed types. Helianthus are grown for their decorative flowers. They come in many colors and sizes. Gardeners can choose a dwarf (15 inches high) fully double, golden chrysanthemum type, or a 4 foot pure yellow or white Helianthus with shades of primrose. The tallest Helianthus, 5 to 6 feet, provides the widest color range - yellow, gold, bronze, mahogany red, and bicolor blooms. These flowers do produce seeds if left on the plant, but they are small and probably best left for wildlife.

The most widely grown variety for edible seeds is Mammoth. First offered in the 1880s by a U.S. seed catalog, it was listed as Mammoth Russian. One of the tallest sunflowers, Mammoth is most often used to produce prize-winning seed heads. New cultivars have been introduced that are shorter (only 6 feet), earlier (68 days), and that have been bred for disease tolerance.

Culture For Large-seed Heads

The sunflower has few enemies; most common are the stem borer and stem maggot, rust, and powdery mildew. The stem borer and stem maggot can both be quite destructive as they burrow into the stem, killing all vegetation above the point of entry. Clean garden practices are the best prevention.

Sunflower Nutrition

The amount of protein in sunflower seed is 24 percent, putting them in the same protein league as beef. They are higher in iron than any other food except egg yolks and liver. The potassium levels are similar to raisins, nuts, and wheat germ, with higher calcium levels than soybeans. This great proportion of nutrients in the seeds is believed to improve cardiovascular health.

Their high proportion of potassium, but low sodium content, makes the sunflower seeds act as a diuretic, which helps to lower high blood pressure. The essential Linoleic acid is necessary for growth and prostaglandin production, and tests have shown it to be beneficial in reducing levels of serum cholesterol.

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