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Americans
have fallen in love with sunflowers. Botanically, a
sunflower is called Helianthus,
coming from the Greek words "Helio", meaning
sun, and "Anthos", meaning flowers.
The
flower is self descriptive. From its dark
colored center, yellow ray-like petals project
out much like the sun's rays. Helianthus is one
of the few major flowers that found its origin in
the United States. These flowers grow wild
in the southwest and are now professionally
cultivated throughout the world.
Giant
varieties can have flower heads that
are 15 inches in diameter. Because of their
huge size, giant helianthus are best suited to
single placement or in large arrangements.
Smaller varieties measuring 3 - 4 inches across
make excellent filler and can be worn in the hair
during informal ceremonies. These fragrance-
free flowers will last up to 12 days. |
