We ventured out looking for wildflowers this week and came across these beautiful sunflowers. They are a Colorado wildflower and we have yet to study them, so we took the time to do so.

Take a peek at this pattern above. No matter if the sunflower is big or small, there are always two patterns that relate to one another in mathematical proportion. The exact proportion enables the most amount of seeds to fit in the flower! Isn't that awesome? Our God is so creative!!  I related this to the kids that if God would take care of this sunflower in such a special way, how does He care for us?!

Matthew 6:30 ~ Now if that is the way God clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and thrown into an oven tomorrow, won't he clothe you much better-you who have little faith?

The sunflower is not just one flower, it's made up of MANY flowers. The outside petals are 'ray flowers' and the center part is called, 'disc flowers.' ~ it's in the composite family of flowers.

To our surprise, sunflowers do not follow the sun as their name would suggest or like other flowers. The flower heads face the morning sun, but once the plant matures and begins to bloom, it doesn't. Most of the time, it faces the East.

In the picture above, you can see some of the stages of the flower or floret. You can see the seeds in the picture below.

The flower will tell you when it's ready to be harvested. Their heads will start to bow to the ground, the backs of the flower will turn a light yellow color and the florets in the center of the head will start to shrivel and when you crack them open, the meaty seed will be there.  Cover the heads with a bag to catch the seeds.......

You can then soak them in a salty solution and then roast them!

The leaves are heart shaped or sometimes triangular. They are also slightly toothed around the edges.

Here, Taylor, drew the stages of the floret ( the center flower parts )