When you think of sunflowers, you may imagine bright summer days and evenings spent lounging around the garden with friends. But have you ever thought about sunflower symbolism? Although different cultures give these bright flowers different meanings, sunflowers symbolize adoration, a bountiful harvest, longevity, and loyalty.
Sunflowers also hold special meaning to many cultures around the world due to their role in important tales and their alignment with certain times of the year. When you explore the flower’s common name and scientific name (Helianthus annuus), you’ll see these names come from some of the plant’s unique attributes.
The Origin of the Sunflower Name
While it’s easy to think the name sunflower emerged from the flowers’ bright colors, this term actually refers to one of the plant’s interesting habits. Sunflowers exhibit a phenomenon known as heliotropism. In common terms, this means the plants move their flowers so they orient towards the sun. If you spend a day watching a field of sunflowers, you’ll see them complete a 180° turn as they chase the sun from East to West.
The plant’s scientific name Helianthus annuus also comes from this sun-chasing. The Greek term helios means sun, and the word anthus means flower. Hence, the common name sunflower. The species name annus refers to the plant’s ability to spout and form a flower all in a single year.
What Is the Meaning of a Sunflower?
Sunflowers hold different meanings across cultures. Here are some of the most common sunflower meanings.
Adoration
Need to let someone know you can’t think highly enough of them? Then send a bouquet of sunflowers! These bright flowers symbolize adoration, so they’re the perfect flower for teachers, moms, best friends, and anyone else you look up to. This sunflower symbolism likely comes from the flower’s warm colors and its dedication to following the sun throughout the day.
Longevity
Although sunflowers only live for one year, people sometimes view them as a symbol of longevity. It’s difficult to determine where this sunflower meaning came from, but it may relate to the flower’s long vase life or the plant’s ability to lift our moods and extend our lives. Regardless of the reasoning, there’s no doubt that sunflowers symbolize a long and healthy life.
Loyalty
As we’ve mentioned above, sunflowers are extremely loyal to the sun. They chase this bright star across the sky day after day, without fail. This steadfastness is why sunflowers symbolize loyalty. This symbolism is one reason why sunflowers make a great gift if you want to let someone know you’ll always be there for them. You can also take note that these flowers are the official flower of the third wedding anniversary.
Sunflower Symbolism Across Cultures
Sunflowers are an important plant for many cultures, so it’s not surprising that different groups of people have varying stories and symbolism for these flowers. Check out each unique sunflower meaning.
Native Americans
Although you can now find sunflowers throughout the world, these flowers are native to to present day North America. This origin means that Native Americans have a long history with the sunflower. While many people prize sunflowers for their beauty, indigenous people grew the plants for their oil-rich seeds. People pressed these seeds for oil or ate them raw or cooked.
Since sunflower seeds were often ready to harvest in late summer, these plants came to symbolize harvest and fertility.
Ancient Greeks
If you ask the Greeks what sunflowers mean, they’ll direct you to the tale of Clytie and Apollo. While you may be familiar with the sun god Apollo, Clytie isn’t quite as famous. That’s one reason why the tale of this water nymph is intriguing.
The story goes that Clytie fell head over heels for Apollo, and before long she was spending her days watching him as he moved across the sky. Despite this attention, Apollo barely noticed Clytie and the feelings she had for him. This crush eventually became all-consuming, and Clytie stopped eating and existed solely on morning dew.
Eventually, the other gods recognized the pain of Clytie’s unrequited love. Rather than let her spend her days obsessing over Apollo, the gods decided to put her out of her misery and turn her into a sunflower. This tale explains why sunflowers follow the sun as it travels across the sky.
Sunflower Spiritual Meaning
Various faiths throughout history have labeled the sunflower important or included it in their rituals. Sunflower decor was used by both the Mayans and Aztecs and found at offering sites throughout modern-day Mexico, suggesting that these people gave great importance to this flower.
Sunflowers’ ability to follow the sun also relates to individuals’ attempts to seek a higher truth and power. Just as the flowers seek the literal light, humans set forth to find a guiding light that helps them navigate the world. Therefore, people often use sunflowers to symbolize spiritual journeys.
Types of Sunflowers
When you mention sunflowers, many people think of large yellow flowers with black centers. But this is just one variety! Today, you can find all different shapes, colors, and sizes of sunflowers. Here are some of the most popular and interesting sunflower varieties.
Teddy Bear
Teddy Bear sunflowers get their name from their fuzzy, yellow flowers. The many narrow petals combine to form a texture that just begs to be touched. Since the plants remain less than four feet tall, they’re a great option for pots and small gardens.
Mammoth
If you’re looking for a sunflower that towers overhead, Mammoth is one of your best options. These stalks can grow over ten feet tall, and their flowers are the size of a dinner plate.
Autumn Beauty
As its name suggests, Autumn Beauty produces sunflowers in a range of autumnal colors. The petals range from light orange to deep maroon to bright yellow. Many of the flowers contain more than one color, and they’re easy to mix together to create a gorgeous seasonal arrangement (especially when you know how to arrange sunflowers like a pro).
Send Flowers with The Bouqs Co.
Take advantage of the rich sunflower meaning and use these flowers to show others you care. Whether you’re looking to let someone know you adore them or want to send a bit of cheer to a friend, a sunflower bouquet is a great option. And since we make it easy to order flower delivery online, there’s nothing stopping you from brightening a loved one’s day.
Sunflowers aren’t your thing? No problem! We have a wide variety of flowers available, including tulips, ranunculus, lilies, and more. And if you want to learn more about the meanings of flowers, we can help with that too. Check out our guide on azalea symbolism and learn more about the meaning of lavender.
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