Sunflowers - Video of Amazing Plants That Follow the Sun
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Big, bright and gorgeous - sunflowers are a popular favorite flower. One of the things that is most fascinating about this plant is its ability to turn towards the sun, and follow it. This process is called heliotropism, which literarily means "sun turning".
The young plants and young flower heads will move from east to west during the day to catch the light from the sun. At night, the plants move back to face east ready for the next day.
The plants have a flexible section in the stem which contains special cells that respond to blue light. They pump potassium ions into the nearby area. Those parts of the stem stiffen as they become filled with these ions, making the stem move.
Interestingly, if the plants are deliberately turned around, they will move backwards for several days before they start to follow the sun correctly again.
Once the plant reaches maturity, it no longer moves.
Videos of Sunflowers Moving
This collection of videos demonstrate how the sunflower moves. They are filmed using a process called time lapse photography, where a photo is taken every so often from the same position, and then those photos are put together to create a video that appears to speed up time.
Growing Sunflowers
- Growing Sunflowers
Learn how to grow sunflowers, tell when the seeds are mature/ripe and get tips for protecting the heads so that birds and squirrels don't eat all the yummy seeds first. Explore options for shelling your seeds, or roasting them in-shell. - How To Grow Huge Sunflowers
Want to grow huge sunflowers? Well, you've come to the right place. Learn from someone who has been growing giant sunflowers for more than 20 years now, and who has picked up a few tips and tricks along the way. - How to Grow Sunflowers From Seed Tips for Growing Sunflowers From Seed
Learning how to grow sunflowers from seed is a great thing to do. The process is rather easy and it is a great plant for children to start growing at a young age.
More Incredible Plants
- The Venus Flytrap - A Plant That Catches Its Food
The Venus Flytrap is a fascinating plant. It is able to catch, trap and digest small creatures, such as insects and spiders.
