Sunflower

The common sunflower is a crop that has developed multiple uses over its course of history. During cultivation, young sunflowers orientate themselves towards the direction of the sun. At dawn the head of the flower faces east and gradually moves west throughout the day. During the night, it re-orientates itself to face east in anticipation of the morning sun. When it reaches full maturity, it no longer follows the sun, but continuously faces east until it is harvested. This characteristic of the sunflower is described as heliotropic motion, which is a circadian rhythm, synchronized by the sun. It is no wonder the sunflower is so well-loved — it conveys a cheerful disposition and is interesting to boot!