A Sun Valley Riddle: What flower originated in North America, was domesticated by American Indians, commercialized by Russians, and then finally returned to North America for hybridization and commercial farming over 100 years ago?
If you guessed Sunflower you are correct! And you get bonus points if you guessed Helianthus (From the Greek: H?lios, "sun" and anthos, "flower").
Sunflower farming growing
Sunflower: World Traveler
As mentioned in our riddle, the sunflower’s wild ancestor is native to North America, and it was the American Indians who first domesticated it into a single-headed plant in order to harvest the seeds. However, they also saw the value and beauty in the plant for non-food uses as well. According to The American Society of Agronomy, they used all parts of the versatile plant to make dye for textiles, oil for skin and hair, and they even used the sturdy, dried stalk as building material. The plant itself, along with its seeds, was widely used in ceremonies.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: Sun Valley Group's Flower Talk