THE RISE AND DEMISE OF A SUNFLOWER

I think I've mentioned in one or two posts already how a bird must have planted a sunflower seed in my garden this year and it reached quite a height, of about 3ft, before I spotted it hidden alongside the Malva moschata Rosea.  I've taken photos of the sunflower as it has produced a bud, then flowers, attracted bees, then slipped into a sad decline.  It looks rather pathetic and bedraggled now with its head bowed down towards the earth, petals fallen, and the centre looking rather aged with not a bee in sight.  I'm expecting it to produce seeds which will be given to the birds.  Ironic in a way, that some bird was responsible for its life in the first place.   I feed sunflower seeds to the birds on a regular basis and they do tend to drop them around all over the place.  I've found sunflowers germinating in my hanging baskets! 

Sunflower looking beautiful among the anemones

but it's the turning point - 17 September 2014

Sunflower bud - 23 August 2014 - Macro photograph

The bud is still small, not yet 5cm diameter



Sunflower bud beginning to open - 03 September 2014

Sunflower bud petals formed - 04 September 2014

Sunflower opening up- 06 September 2014

 At this point, the sunflower's flower starts to do its job and attract pollinators. 



Sunflower now attracting pollinators - 09 September 2014



Sunflower attracting bees - 12 September 2014



Sunflower and bee - 12 September 2014 - Macro photograph



By 17 September the sunflower looks glorious but it's at the turning point.  From then on it begins to lose its petals but the seeds will now be forming. 





Sunflower starting to decline - 27 September 2014

but the pollinators are still interested

Sunflower fading and the leaves and petals looking ragged

the pollinators have lost interest - 30 September 2014

Sunflower leaves faded, petals all but gone, and the centre

devoid of pollen.  Now the seeds will start to form

and a new cycle can begin - 03 October 2014



Sunflower seedhead - withered disk florets, ripe and unripened (white) seeds

Macro photograph



Sunflower seed next to detached disk floret - Macro photograph

Detached sunflower disk florets - Macro photograph

Ripe, black, sunflowers seeds - Macro photograph