Do Sunflowers Really Face Themselves?

Sunflowers, a common plant, are regulated by circadian rhythms that orient them. They typically turn away from the sun throughout the day to follow its movement, a process known as heliotropism. This is thought to help the sunflower’s leaves absorb more sunlight, allowing it to grow. The claim that sunflowers face each other when there is no sunlight is false. Sunflowers are mainly young flower heads that exhibit this characteristic of heliotropism because younger flowers have green “bracts” that look like a mane. Only a few species show heliotropism, following the sun during the day. Sunflowers are the most well-known example.

A common misconception is that mature sunflowers follow the sun. However, they do not actively face each other. Instead, they move towards a light source (phototropism/heliotropism). Researchers say that the young plant’s sun-tracking (also called heliotropism) can be explained by circadian rhythms. The sentiment shared is that when there is no sunshine or light to turn to, the sunflowers turn to each other to share their energy/light. Heliotropism is a motion in response to the direction of the sun. A 2016 study determined sunflowers move less as they age. Sunflowers only move until the flower bud opens, at which point they stop their daily dance and permanently face east.

Botanists will tell you this is unscientific and an urban myth. Newly published research explains why young sunflowers turn to face the sun as it moves across the sky.