The Infinite Call of the Sunflower

Sunflowers have a unique quality known as heliotropism - they track the sun.

This might sound magical and infinite, but it's not that straightforward.

Young sunflower buds do move with the sun from east to west each day, but this feat is temporary.

How does this happen? Sunflowers warm themselves in the early morning sunlight and get ready to attract pollinators.

The east side of the stem grows longer as it is exposed to light, forcing the flower to tilt to the west by the end of the day.

Interestingly, come sunrise, the flower faces east again.

To restore its original position, the west side of the stem grows more in the night.

However, once the sunflower is fully grown, it ceases to follow the sun and stays facing east.

This consistent orientation helps maximize heat from the sunrise, which makes them more attractive to pollinating insects..