SUN-FLOWER. 357 



SUN-FLOWER. 



HELIANTHUS. 



CISTEiE. SYNGENESIA POLYGAMXA FRUSTANEA." 



French, I'helianthe; fleur du soleil; soleil [the sun]; tournesol 

 [sun-turner] ; couronne du soleil [crown of the sun] ; herbe du soleil 

 [sun-wort]. — //«//««, girasole; fior del sol; corona del sole; girasole 

 Indiano [Indian sun-turner] ; girasole Peruano. 



The Sun-flower can scarcely be introduced here with 

 propriety, being in general so large, even the annual kinds, 

 as to be ill-adapted for pots. The Annual Sun-flower 

 rises to the height of twelve or fourteen feet, and the 

 flower sometimes exceeds a foot in diameter. It is not 

 called Sun-flower, as some have supposed from turning to 

 the sun, but from the resemblance of the full-blown flower 

 to the sun itself: Gerarde remarks, that he has seen four 

 of these flowers on the same stem, pointing to the four 

 cardinal points. This flower is a native of IVIexico and 

 Peru, and looks as if it grew from their ov/n gold. It 

 flowers from June to October. 



The Dwarf Annual kind, which grows from eighteen 

 inches to three feet in height, is a little more within com- 

 pass. 



The Perennial Sun-flower is much esteemed for bou- 

 quets; the flowers are about eight or ten inches in dia- 

 meter : there is a constant succession from July to Novem- 

 ber. It is a native of Virginia. 



The Dark-red Sun-flower, and the Narrow-leaved, are of 

 a more moderate height ; the first, two or three feet, the 

 latter, a foot and a half. Both are natives of Virginia, 

 flowering in September and October. 



The Sun-flowers are hardy plants ; the perennial kinds 

 are increased by parting the roots into small heads : this 



