16 facts about jerusalem artichoke
The wild sunflower, also known as topinambur or Jerusalem artichoke, is a plant that has been widely known and used for various purposes since ancient ...
They came to Europe quite late because they came from the American continent. Cultivated for seeds, oil, or ornamental value, they quickly conquered the old continent. Consuming sunflower seeds has many health benefits, although excess may cause allergies, rapid weight gain, problems with peristalsis, and even heavy metal poisoning (they contain a lot of cadmium).
They are annual plants or perennials, and the most popular species among sunflowers is the common sunflower.
From there, the crop quickly spread north into southern Canada. The first sunflower seedlings were brought to Europe in the early 16th century.
Oil extraction began much later. Currently, it is used for frying, as a softening ingredient in cosmetics, or as a biofuel ingredient. It can be obtained either by chemical or mechanical extraction.
However, such fuels should not be used in extremely cold conditions. Due to the high content of unsaturated fats, sunflower oil has a higher viscosity at low temperatures.
This plant comes from North America and grows up to 3 meters high. Sunflower leaves are broad, coarsely toothed, rough, and usually alternate. At the top of a thick and stiff stem grows an inflorescence with a diameter of about 30 cm.
The tallest sunflower whose height was verified was 917 cm!
It is composed of many small, single, five-petal flowers. Sunflower flowers create a very interesting, mathematical pattern. Each flower is located at 137.5 degrees in relation to the next one, i.e. the golden angle. The flowers thus form a system of connecting spirals, where the number of left and right spirals are successive numbers in the Fibonacci sequence.
It is used in computer graphics to generate images of these plants.
The soil should be well-drained and moist, preferably covered with mulch.
This is a half-truth, because only young inflorescences show this feature, mature ones remain motionless and are most often directed to the east. The young inflorescence begins its journey following the sun from the east, towards which it turns every night. Their movement is synchronized with the sun but does not depend on its rays, because the inflorescences follow the sun even on cloudy days and when they are moved under artificial light.
The mature inflorescence is heated by sunlight earlier than other flowers and attracts a larger number of pollinators.
Eating sunflower seeds can help lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar levels. It also reduces inflammation in the body. They are rich in vitamins (E, A, B, and C), phenolic acids, and flavonoids. Their antioxidant properties protect cells from damage. Sunflower seeds contain very large amounts of vitamin B3.
