Grow sunflowers - The birds will love you all year

Sunflowers are not only beautiful but they are very appreciated by most birds.

There are many different kinds of sunflowers and birdlovers know how they are appreciated by most birds. Put out only sunflower seeds and you will have cardinals, towees, evening and rosebreasted grosbeaks, titmice, blackcapped chicadees, song sparrows, siskins, house finches, American Goldfinch and even Carolina wrens. I've seen all these at my feeder, have you had others?

If you have a sunny spot, it's easy to grow sunflowers and they will come back every year if you don't disturb the soil too much. The common sunflower can have heads that are 3 to 10" wide and 2 to 12' tall, which means you may have to stake them. The flowerheads are atop a stout, hairy stem, leaves oval to heart shaped, and rough. Cut off the heads (if the birds haven't already eaten them) wedge them in your trees and you will have happy birds all around your yard.

The reason sunflowers face the sun is, paradoxically, that light inhibits growth in the stem; hence the shaded side of the stem grows faster, tipping the flowerhead toward the sun.

One of nature's most fascinating shapes is the spiral. The heads of composite flowers, such as the sunflower, are often spirals. The seeds at the center form two sets of spiral rows. The two rows of spirals are indicated by black and white lines going out in opposite directions from the center.