 Sunflowers follow the Sun throughout the day. This movement is called “heliotropism.”
In the morning, young sunflowers face east. Their heads follow the Sun as it moves across the sky, ending the day facing west. Then, they slowly turn to the east at night, ready to greet the Sun in the morning.
This movement happens because of the different growth rates in the sunflower’s stem. The growth rates on the stem’s east side are higher during the day and low at night, while those on the west side are low during the day and higher at night.
By moving with the Sun, young sunflowers can get more sunlight, which they need to grow big and strong.
| Luis Apolo
Staff Reporter
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