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Sunflower

Helianthus annuus

Summary 4

Pollen: High 15.7-17.6% Crude protein
Nectar: High 30-100 lbs possible/hive
Propolis: Mucilage

Fast growth rate. Care must be taken with increasing pesticide use. Nectar and pollen annually. Rapid to crystalize.

Late June to early September. Nova Scotia to British Columbia.
Widely cultivated throughout southern Canada, particularly in Ontario and the Prairie Provinces, for its seed and oil. Escaping to heavier soils and along roadsides. Native. (Crompton, C. W., & Wojtas, W. A. (1993). Pollen grains of Canadian honey plants.)

A tall herb grown in temperate to tropical climates for its seeds which are eatn by man and animals, and which yield edible oil. The larger flower head has numerous bisexual diskflorets in the centre, surounded by a ring of sterile ray-florets. In a disk floret, pollen is relased before the stigma becomes receptive. Sunflowers are visited by bees and long-tongued flies, which collect pollen and nectar and effect pollination by crawling over the surface of the flower head. The plant is an important honey source. (Crane, E., & Walker, P. (1984). Pollination Directory for World Crops)

Flowering time 11-4 North America. No nectar if plants are under moisture deficit stree.. After March the low temperature on the Highveld inhibit nectar secretion. Honey:light yellow colour, bland taste, quick granulation. Freshly-capped honeycombs have a light yellow colour, derived from the minute droples of yellow oil on the surface of the pollen grains. Pollen are yellow to orange and have a medium nutritive value, e.g. 15.7% crude protein AUS/ 17.6% Europe. Colonies maintain their breeding activities. For commerical crops the bee factor is 60% and for see production 95% Inbred breeding lines produce little nectar, which compromises pollination, partularly where competitive bee forage is present. Flowering time 12-3, 2 Tropical America. At present most cotton is grown under irrigation along the Orange River, but dryland production is increasing elsewhere. Extrafloral nectar is more attractive than floral nectar at times, but it is unknown under what conditions...It is assumed that a light-coloured honey results from floral nectaries and reddish honey from extrafloral nectar. All foragers in flowers get dusted with pollen, particularly on their undersides. This whitish pollen may be collected or actively removed from bodies. Honeybee pollination is essential when seed is produced using male sterile lines, but colony strength then declines. Hybrid seed production necessitates change of colonies. Cotton is long-flowering - which may last two months. (Johannsmeier, M. F. (2016). Beeplants of South Africa: Sources of Nectar, Pollen, Honeydew and Propolis for Honeybees)

July-August The common garden sunflower; an annual...2-12 feet high. Everywhere as an escape; native in the west. (Schuyler, M. F. (1955). Field Book of American Wild Flowers)

Sources and Credits

  1. (c) Matthias Barth, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://www.flickr.com/photos/50811284@N00/3742852254
  2. (c) Tom Potterfield, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/tgpotterfield/14506854628/
  3. (c) Luis Romero, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/luisjromero/33624319322/
  4. (c) Megan W., some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

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