SUN-FLOWER. 357 



SUN-FLOWER. 



HELIANTHUS. 



CISTE.E. SYNGENESIA POLYGAMIA FRUSTANEA.' 



French, 1'helianthe; fleur du soleil; soleil [the sun]; tournesol 

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

 [sun- wort]. Italian, 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 Mexico and 

 Peru, and looks as if it grew from their own 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 



