Original from South America, the domesticated species was brought to Europe from North America by the Spaniards in 1510. It was originally used for ornamental purposes.
Wild sunflower habitats are mainly grasslands and dry, open areas. They grow along roadsides, fields, desert edges and meadows. Grows best in sunny, moist or disturbed areas.
At the end of the 19th century, it was introduced back to North America from Russia. It is cultivated in various countries around the world and in China. Through artificial cultivation, many varieties have been formed in different habitats, especially in the size and color of the flower heads and the shape of achenes.
Extended information:
Sunflower is named because the top of the young plant in the early stage of growth and the young flower disc in the middle stage rotate very obviously with the sun. Analyze the reasons why sunflowers turn toward the sun from a biological perspective:
Sunflowers are sunward during the period from germination to before the flower disc blooms. Its leaves and flower disc follow the sun from east to west during the day, but it is not instantaneous. Subsequently, botanists have measured that the disk is pointing approximately 12 degrees, or 48 minutes, behind the sun.
After the sun goes down, the flower disk of the sunflower slowly swings back. At about 3 o'clock in the morning, it faces the east again and waits for the sun to rise.