Sunflower

Botanical Name	Helianthus
Nickname	Sunflower
Category	Flower
Rarity	Common
Class	Indigenous
Fruition	Goldscorch - Edensrest

Introduction

Sunflowers (Helianthus), although common, are anything if not one of nature's many accomplishments. Cherished for their beauty in appearance, finding a place as decoration in front of homes as a means to brighten up one's garden and front yard, to showering open fields in a golden hue, this decorative plant has a multitude of uses, one being it provides seeds which can be harvested and eaten. These large plants grow in fertile plains and in the meadows around Eden, such as The Heartlands & Glade of the Dragons.

Description

These flowers have a large, brown center at the core of many seeds that can be cracked open and eaten as a delightful trail snack. Surrounding the center are gorgeously large yellow petals; it should be noted that this flower truly does hold an uncanny resemblance to the sun itself.

This flower in particular has a habit of blooming facing in the direction of the sun where it will provide hours of heat; such is required for the sunflower to continue thriving. This is why you are unlikely to find sunflowers growing during winter periods when there is little to no sun available throughout the day.

Although the petals lack any discernible taste, their texture is akin to that of eating silk. However, whilst most of the flower is inedible the seeds themselves make up for what the petal lacks, offering an earthy taste when eaten. It isn’t until being flavored with salt and roasted will both the texture and taste change. A lingering aromatic scent follows suit resembling that of the sunflower itself.

Usage

• Sunflower Petals

It is a beautiful decoration that can be used for many art projects by those inspired by its bright colors. Despite not being edible these petals can be used to create dyes and paints when dried out in the sun. An example of how to use it once dried requires the user to crush the sun-dried petals into a powder followed by adding water into a mortar and pestle, mixing the two together to create a paste that can be used for watercoloring.

• Sunflower Seeds

Used in many recipes the seeds from the sunflower are a saving grace for those lost on roads in need of an immediate snack to keep them going. Some examples include sunflower oil, seed brittle, and sunflower seed bread & they make a wonderful topping to any salad. The seeds from this flower can be spiced and flavored to cater to the needs of various consumers, proving to be an extremely versatile snack.