Welcome to Floriography! The article series allows you to understand the intricate language of flowers, and how they’re used. For this section, the next flower to cover is one of our most popular ones yet: sunflowers.

Whether you’re referring to the hit Post Malone song from Spider-Verse, Mr Sir’s preferred snack in Holes, or the selected flower of choice from Shrek, we can’t deny the cultural and historical impact of this great flower. It’s considered one of the tallest flowers, able to grow to over 10 feet tall, with the largest ever to grow over 30 feet!

As they grow, the young sunflowers would follow the sun and face east in the day and west at night, and once reaching adulthood, would permanently face east. Its history dates back to domestication over 3,000 BCE in the areas we know as the US and Mexico, where Native Americans used the flower for their various properties. It’s also one of the most used flowers in terms of manufacturing and processing, as it’s highly coveted for its seeds, which make an excellent snack as well as to make edible oils, dyes, and cosmetics that are used all over the world. 

As implied by the name, sunflowers represent the sun itself, known for its meaning of positivity and happiness, often compared to the Japanese name Hinata, meaning “facing the sun”. It’s also been described as the flower representing loyalty and devotion, making it as steadfast and unwavering as its namesake. They even represent strength and growth, due to their large stature, making a perfect example of their resilience.

Sunflowers are often one of the best flowers if you want to spread joy or happiness to others, especially if they’re not feeling that particular emotion at the moment. It’s also perfect for long-term partners, as a perfect reminder of how sturdy and stable the relationship has become. Whatever it’s used, whether to grow them, gift them, or even eat them, you can’t go wrong with the sunflower!