Autumn and Winter Check-in Challenge
Sunflowers are a common ornamental plant known for their brightly colored flowers and unique morphology. It belongs to the genus Sunflower in the Asteraceae family and is a perennial herbaceous plant. Sunflowers are native to North America, but they are now widely cultivated around the world and become one of the favorite ornamental flowers.
Morphological characteristics:
Sunflowers usually have tall stems, up to 3-4 meters in height, and grow upright. The leaves are large, green, heart-shaped or rounded, with white hairs on the back. In summer, the flowers of sunflowers bloom at the top of the main stem, and the yellow petals have brown stripes in the center, which is exceptionally beautiful. When the flowers wither, they produce large fruits, known as sunflower seeds.
Growing Environment:
Sunflowers prefer full sun and warm climates. It is adaptable and can grow in a variety of soil types, but fertile, well-drained soil is preferred. Sunflowers are drought tolerant but need plenty of water during the growing season. When planting sunflowers, you should choose flat, well-drained land and apply an appropriate amount of basal fertilizer.
Reproductive Techniques:
Sunflowers are usually propagated by sowing seeds. The sowing time is usually in spring or summer, and the appropriate temperature for seed germination is 15-20. Before sowing, the seeds should be soaked in water for 24 hours and then removed to dry to increase the germination rate of the seeds. After sowing, keep the soil moist and germinate in about a week. When the seedlings have grown 2-3 true leaves, they can be transplanted.
Application value:
Sunflowers are not only ornamental, but also practical. Its seeds are rich in nutrients and can be used as food and feed. Sunflower seeds can be processed into various food products such as sunflower biscuits, sunflower seed oil, etc. In addition, the stems and leaves of sunflowers can be fed to livestock as feed. In terms of medical treatment, sunflower seeds and flower discs also have medicinal value, which can be used for headaches, high blood pressure and other diseases.
Maintenance & Pest Control:
During the growing period, sunflowers need to be fertilized and watered regularly to guarantee their normal growth. At the same time, it is also necessary to pay attention to timely weeding and pruning old branches. In terms of pest control, the growth of sunflowers should be checked regularly, and measures should be taken to prevent and control pests and diseases in a timely manner. The main diseases include rust, sclerotinia and so onThe main insect pests are aphids, borers, etc. A combination of biological and chemical control methods can be adopted for control.