Sunflower Gifts

Sunflowers embody the sunny, carefree days of summer with their bright petals and their sweet yet refreshing fragrance. Sunflowers sprout up and bloom anywhere there is disturbed soil. As we are facing some challenges this year, wisdom from sunflowers is helping me. 

Did you know that the entire sunflower plant is also edible and useful? Sunflower seeds are great to snack on by themselves, and they are a tasty, crunchy addition to bread, granola, and pastries. A spreadable nut butter made from sunflower seeds is not only delicious but also nutritious. Sprouted sunflower seeds make tasty microgreens that are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Sunflower buds can be boiled and eaten like artichokes; they almost taste like artichokes, too! If you decide to try boiled sunflower buds, the sap from the flower buds can be sticky and hard to wash off from a cooking pot. A little olive oil rubbed into the sap makes it easy to wash off. The stems can be peeled and eaten like celery, although they’re a little more chewy and bitter than celery in late summer.  Maybe they are less bitter earlier in the season. Sunflower petals can be gathered and infused into an oil that is healing for the skin. Sunflower leaves were used by native peoples for their cooling, astringent, and anti-inflammatory properties. Sunflower leaves have been used in teas for respiratory issues and in wound care. The abundance of sunflowers and their usefulness is amazing.

Sunflowers thrive in disrupted or disturbed soil. Wherever the soil has been scraped for construction or otherwise disturbed, you’ll see sunflowers pop up. Sunflowers hold the soil in place and feed birds, deer, and other small animals. Sunflowers remind us we can grow, bloom, and thrive even in adverse circumstances. 

Sunflowers have an amazing ability to turn to face the sun. The name for sunflower in Spanish is “girasol.” “Girasol” translates to “turns with the sun.” In a world that can be troubling and confusing, sunflowers remind us to keep our focus on light and truth. It may be that focusing on light is what helps sunflowers thrive in disrupted soil.

In the summer, the sunflower stems are soft, tender, and flexible. In the winter, the stems become much stronger, almost like wood, holding their flower heads above the snow to feed little birds their seeds. 

Do you think sunflowers might know that birds depend on them to be strong in winter and hold their seeds above the snow?

Let me share a story that illustrates how plants may be aware of other creatures around them and how they can help them. A while back, I was picking purple echinacea flowers in my garden when it started to rain lightly. I continued picking the echinacea flowers despite the rain; they were mature and ready to harvest. The flowers easily popped off the stems when I slid a couple of fingers under them. Then I got to one flower - it was ready to harvest, but it wouldn't budge. After several unsuccessful attempts to pick the flower, I put down my bucket and used both hands to pluck the unwilling flower from the stem. Then I realized why the flower didn’t want to come with me- there was a large bumblebee taking shelter from the rain under its flower petals. I put the bumblebee with the harvested flowers and brought it under the covered porch until the rain subsided, and the bumblebee flew away. That experience shifted how I see plants- the plant knew there was a bumblebee taking shelter under it, and it was holding strong to protect the bumblebee. Maybe intelligence and character traits (like protecting smaller creatures) are present in plants. 

Sunflowers remind us that there are times for being soft and flexible, and other times to stand strong to care for and protect others. Just as sunflowers become strong in winter so that they can feed little birds, we can be strong too. Sunflowers remind us that our Creator takes care of even his smallest creations- like the birds in winter and bees when it rains.

In late summer, before the sun comes up, you may be lucky enough to see bees sleeping in sunflowers. Bees work tirelessly to gather nectar and make honey for winter. Most of our food supply is dependent on bees' hard work. Bees' constant movement makes it really hard to get a good picture of them, much like trying to capture a clear photo of a busy toddler! Seeing a sleeping bee in a flower is a rare treat, and it warms my heart. I was so happy when I saw a sleeping bee in a sunflower with her arm around another bee. There’s a lot we can learn from bees!

I loved how the sun shone on this fuzzy sleeping bee, highlighting it's hair!

I hope sunflowers inspire you to grow and bloom in adversity and keep your focus and your face turned toward the light. Remember that like sunflowers, there are times to be soft and flexible, like the sunflowers in summer, and other times to be strong and protective, like the sunflowers in winter. Sunflowers are also evidence of God’s provision for all his creations, even food for little birds in winter! Sunflowers are a gift!