Nothing says summer like a Sunflower; warm, bright, and as golden as its namesake, here at Bunches we look forward to seeing these mini suns bloom every year!

According to the National Sunflower Association, the wild Sunflower is native to North America, although commercialisation of the plant took place in Russia during the 17th century.

Did you know that young Sunflowers always face the sun? The science behind this is that young Sunflowers follow a circadian rhythm to get the most sunlight, and then only face east when they mature. However, Greek mythology has its own reason for the movement!

According to GreekMythology.com Clytie, a water nymph, loved Helios (the God of the sun), who deserted her for another woman. After losing her love, Clytie lay on rocks for nine days staring at the sun, ultimately turning into a Sunflower. Because of her love of Helios, the Sunflower would follow his journey across the sky, which is why Sunflowers always face the direction of the sun! This is also the reason for the flower’s Latin name Helianthus, literally meaning sun (Helios) and flower (Anthos) in Greek.

Whether it’s retelling Clytie’s myth, using Sunflower oil in a recipe, inspiring one of Van Gogh’s most famous paintings, or helping people voluntarily share that they have an invisible disability, Sunflowers have been part of our day-to-day life for about three thousand years. But what do these bold blooms mean?

Karen Azoulay, author of Flowers and Their Meanings, writes that Sunflowers originally stood for false riches. However, these days the meaning has changed a bit – Thursd says that Sunflowers “have come to embody joy, adoration, and longevity in various cultures around the globe.”

At Bunches, we definitely agree with the second meaning – who can resist adoring these joyous flowers, which brighten up any room? That’s why we’re delighted to feature Sunflowers in this year’s summer collection. However, if you’re worried that you may be offering someone false riches, we have a variety of beautiful blooms and gifts at bunches.co.uk!