Sunflowers Fields Forever
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In her latest article, Beth shares insight and information about the beautiful sunflower fields in the southwest areas of France. You might be familiar with the images of sun-drenched yellow countryside filled with large, smiley flowers, but have you ever wondered where they come from? And do they offer any health benefits?
“It’s that time of year again when our corner of the Tarn et Garonne lights up with sunny beauties. Sunflowers, masses of them, have started to bloom. Delighted by the sights, I learned more about this multipurpose plant.
Where do Sunflowers Originate?
Sunflowers are really, really old. Over 4,500 years ago, sunflower seeds were cultivated in the Americas. As well as providing a valuable food source, native tribespeople believed sunflowers brought good luck, and used them in spiritual rituals to ward off evil spirits. Noting its importance as a foodstuff, in the 16th century, Spanish explorers brought sunflowers to Europe.
Varieties of Commercially-grown Sunflowers
Sunflowers are popular with farmers since their cultivation requires little intervention. Their production is broadly split into two categories: Oilseed and non-oilseed.
- Oilseed sunflowers come from Oleic and Linoleic seeds. They’re the smaller black-hulled ones. They are high in oil content and typically used for sunflower oil. Rich in protein, they’re also used as animal meal, especially for cattle and bird feed.
- Non-oilseed sunflowers are typically larger than the oilseed variety and have a white or brown striped hull. They’re used in various food products, from snacks to bread.
What’s so Special about Sunflowers?
Eat them, crush them, feed them to livestock or arrange them in a vase. These plants are winners.
The striped seeds contain 30% oil and are often eaten as a snack, called pipas in France. They are packed with protein, fibre, Vitamin E, folic acid and minerals such as phosphorous, iron, and selenium. Here’s how they compare with other whole foods:
- Twice more protein than walnuts, pecans, and macadamia nuts
- Six times more Vitamin E than peanuts
- Seven times more Folate than almonds, cashews, and pecans
- Naturally low in carbohydrates
They’re also a great health food alternative for anyone with a tree-nut allergy.
Great for Nature
If you’re anywhere near a field of flowering sunflowers, you’re sure to hear buzzing. These plants are honey traps for pollinators. During a good yield year, sunflower pollination is responsible for approximately 15.4% of the honey harvest in France.
Sunflowers in France
Sunflowers are commercially grown throughout France, with a few exceptions in the north. Here in Occitanie, sunflower fields are abundant. It’s bliss! Their cultivation extends across much of the central belt into Provence. With so much grown, it’s hardly surprising that France is currently Europe’s third largest sunflower producer, behind Romania and Bulgaria.
Interesting Sunflower Facts
The French word for sunflower is tournesol. This translates as ‘turn towards the sun’, but do they really? Some, yes. Known as phototropism, the leaves and heads of young flowers do move from east to west during sunlight hours, though mature plants with their firm stems tend not to move.
- In addition to the seeds being edible when shelled, the petals are also edible. Adding them to a salad dish gives it that extra pizazz.
- Sunflower seeds are a great nutritional option for helping prevent the onset or development of certain cardiovascular diseases and cancers.
- The Guinness Book of World Records in 2014 verified that the world’s tallest sunflower measured 9.17 metres (30 feet 1 inch). Bravo to its grower, Hans-Peter Schiffer from Germany!
- Sunflowers can remove toxins such as lead, arsenic, and concentrations of radioactive isotopes from contaminated soil. They have been used to aid the cleansing of contaminated sites following nuclear disasters such as Chernobyl.
- Some are smallish, and others are bigger than dinner plates; each flower head consists of 1000 -2000 individual flower seeds.
- If you fancy growing sunflowers, there are around seventy varieties. In addition to being drought-tolerant, pest-resistant, fast-growing and attractive to pollinators, with lots of sun, they’ll brighten up your garden a treat. Your wild birds will love them, too.
- Helianthophobia is an irrational fear of sunflowers.
The fields around our house are painted yellow with bonny sunflowers, so I’m relieved we’re not phobic about the plants. It’s the reverse. For me, they typify our part of rural France at this time of year. They’re humble and smiley; they’re one of Nature’s environmental superheroes, and I love them.”
For more real-life stories in rural France, check out Beth’s books on Amazon. They’re free on Kindle and highly recommended for anyone who loves animals, nature, and the Occitanie region! Are you too aspiring to start a new life in France?
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