Do sunflowers face each other on cloudy days? Have you ever questioned this little thing? Let’s find out the answer!
Many people think beautiful sunflowers turn toward the sun only when they can receive beams of light directly delivered from it. However, this is a misconception.
According to scientists, it does not matter whether sunflowers can get direct sunlight or not. What matters is their mechanism called heliotropism, which is the predominant factor in determining this type of glamorous plant’s directional growth.
So, do sunflowers face each other on cloudy days or still face the sky? Today, I would love to be your companion to solve the case!
Read more: How Do You Grow Sunflowers From Seeds
Heliotropism In Sunflowers
- First, let’s have more in-depth insights into the phenomenon of heliotropism that literally means “sun turn” in Greek. The expression has been used to refer to those plants that track the sun’s path during the day.
- Not only this floral mechanism happens in flowers, but it also occurs in some particular type of plant leaves. Among these florae, sunflowers are the most common and easiest one for us to take an observation.
- It is quite apparent to see how a sunflower orients itself to the sun’s rays. When the sun rises in the East, the sunflower silently smiles at that old man. From dusk till dawn, the flower keeps turning its head and always puts her eyes on the sun.
- No matter what direction the flower follows during the night, it will be facing and looking at the sun repeatedly the following days. This is what we see from the outside, how about the “invisible” inside?
What is heliotropism’s influence on sunflowers? Let’s find out!
Why Is Heliotropism Important With Sunflowers?
As the saying goes “Everything happens for a reason,” and it is the same with sunflowers. It is not a random exciting fact but based on the flower’s essential needs to follow heliotropism.
Encourage Pollination
Scientifically, the warmer a flower is, the more pollinators it will attract. For instance, in the morning, flowers facing the sun receive more heat, and therefore, they can have the number of insects pollinating as five times as that of those not turning East.
What would you say? Our mother nature is not that kind and gentle! Do you think the big bloomers have such sophisticated survival skills and an excellent performance among many different types of plants?
Stimulate The Flower Photosynthesis Process
It is found that heliotropism also helps with the flower photosynthesis process. How come? The mechanism operates with sunflowers’ photosynthetic parts facing their heat source.
All kinds of flora participate in the process of photosynthesis, and sunflowers are not different from the mainstream. During the process, light energy is absorbed and then used to turn water, CO2, and minerals into O2 and enrich the amount of energy inside the flora’s organic compounds.
As a result, in order to get more energy from sunlight, it is a brilliant choice for sunflowers to face the sun directly during the day. The more energy they receive, the faster and stronger their photosynthesis process becomes.
Let me ask you one question: Will our sunflowers keep tracking the sun during its entire lifetime? And, the answer is no.
When sunflowers are young, they need a lot of light energy to support photosynthesis and attract bees and insects to participate in its pollination process. So, it is a must for them to track the sun’s rays.
Surprisingly, when the flower becomes matured and starts producing seeds, they no longer need to do the same. Back to our main topic, little do you know that they stop being the sun’s followers from then on.
The Relationship Between Weather And Heliotropism
Here, we come to a very challenging riddle: What power decides heliotropism and whether or not sunflowers’ movement depends on the sun only? Let’s find out!
Scientists have struggled to help solve the case! They later know that it is not the sun which sunflowers follow; it is the sunflower’s biological clock. In particular, this kind of plant has its circadian rhythm that defines the process of heliotropism. But how can they find out?
The researchers conducted experiments to test whether or not heliotropism depends on external factors. They put sunflowers inside a room with lights that are intended to simulate the sun’s path.
During the next 24 hours, the flowers showed no difference or change. However, when scientists apply 30 hours of lighting cycle, the sunflower’s rhythm is off. This experiment has shown that the plant is likely to follow its internal circadian rhythm.
Do Sunflowers Face Each Other On Cloudy Days?
We have come such a long way to be here, haven’t we? With all the clues and information I provided, can you tell if sunflowers face each other on cloudy days?
In the previous section, together, we know that the weather outside will cause no changes in sunflowers’ heliotropism pattern. So, the answer should be no.
On the day when the sun is absent, it does not mean there is no sunlight! And besides, sunflowers follow their in-built biological clock. Therefore, their direction remains unchanged throughout a cloudy or rainy day, compared to the other usual days.
Conclusion For article Do Sunflowers Face Each Other On Cloudy Days?:
It is fascinating to know that sunflowers only follow the sun until they get aged. Besides, this kind of plant does not follow the sun; it just follows its heliotropism’s internal clock.
Don’t you think mother earth is so powerful and lives on the green planet have so much more to tell? A lot of riddles and mysteries are waiting for humans to solve. For those who have been wondering: “Do sunflowers face each other on cloudy days?” I hope you will be excited to answer it yourself.
If you love to know more about this beautiful type of flowers or enjoy products made from it, you can visit Sunflower Farmers Market for the best experience. Good luck and thank you for reading!