Waving Sunflower - Photo of the Day - August 29th, 2010

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"Waving Sunflower"

The yellow petals of a large, almost ripe sunflower wave in the breeze, almost as waving in greeting.

This particular flower was growing wild in Indian Battle Park, along the shores of Oldman River in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi using an 18-55mm lens @ 29mm, f/4.5, 1/640 sec., ISO 100.

Purchase Greeting Card or Print at RedBubble

Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) are annual plants native to the Americas, that possess a large inflorescence (flowering head). Sunflower stems can grow as high as 3m (10 ft), and the flower head can reach 30 cm (11.8 in) in diameter with large edible seeds. What is usually called the flower is actually a head (formally composite flower) of numerous florets (small flowers) crowded together. The outer florets are the sterile ray florets and can be yellow, maroon, orange, or other colors. The florets inside the circular head are called disc florets, which mature into what are traditionally called “sunflower seeds,” but are actually the fruit (an achene) of the plant. The inedible husk is the wall of the fruit and the true seed lies within the kernel.
The sunflower is the state flower of the US state of Kansas.