Sunflowers     The sunflower belongs to the genus Helianthus of the family Asteraceae and are native primarily to North and South America. The common sunflower is an annual herb with a rough hairy stem 1–4.5 m (3–15 feet) high. The leaves are used as fodder, the flowers yield a yellow dye and the seeds contain oil used bothfor food or in soap and paints and as a lubricant. The seeds may be eaten dried or roasted. The leading producers of sunflower seed are: Argentina, Russia, Ukraine, France, the United States and China. Of the approximately 60 species of Helianthus, only a few are cultivated. They are tall, hardy annual or perennial herbs, several of which can be grown in gardens with moderately good soil. Famous Sunflowers  Van Gogh's Zonnebloemen, 1889   The Sunflowers This is one of Van Gogh's last paintings, painted in Arles in 1889. I saw this picture live in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. It's probably his most famous paiting and one of my favorite. Beautiful, isn't it ?   Click below if you have clicked on Spring Tour on the Spring Main Page. | Continue the Spring tour |   | Back to the Greenhouse Menu | This page was created on: September 1st 2001. Last updated on: April 19th 2003. [ Site Index ] [ Home ]  ~ Graphics by Irene ~ Midi Franz Liszt's "Un Sospiro - Étude no.39" from Music Scores. Information obtained at Britannica.

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