Pink Sunflowers
Hand-dyed Hemp
From the rightness that comes with the name, one can already feel the effect of a sunflower when placed in a room. Sunflowers are also very popular types of flowers. They seem to have the ability to brighten and cheer up the mood in a room wherever they are placed. What’s more, the flower is the official flower for Russia and Ukraine, and also the official third wedding anniversary flower. The article will look into the origins, meaning, and symbolism of pink sunflowers.
Origin
The sunflower plant came into being around 1000BC in the North American continent. In this part of the world which is today known as Arizona and New Mexico, this plant was cultivated and bred for different reasons. The first reason is food. The sunflower plant had seeds, and these seeds are a great source of flour for making bread. Also, within the later development in human activities, when inhabitants of this area learned the process of making cooking oil, the sunflower plant was one of the few that produced safe and healthy cooking oil for the people.
Apart from eating, they also used the oil gotten from the plant for their skin and hair. This utility for the sunflower plant made it popular that it made its way into Europe, especially in Russia and Ukraine, in the 1700s. In Europe, people were able to focus on the flowers and soon enough, many farmers in the continent started cultivating the sunflower plant for its flowers, apart from other uses.
Sunflower got its name from the feature of the plant that made the flower face the sun at all times. As the young sunflower plant grows, it moves towards the sun. Also, the scientific name for the sunflower plant is helianthus. This name has a Greek origin and upon breakdown, you find that it comprises Helios means sun and Anthus mean flower.
Meaning and Symbolism
The sunflower generally represents emotions such as loyalty and admiration. These feelings can be in a romantic way, all thanks to the myth regarding the Greek god, Apollo, and Clytie, a nymph said to be in love with him. Clytie was said to love Apollo so much that when Apollo started showing affection to another nymph, Clytie caused the nymph’s father to bury her alive. This action was said to have angered Apollo so he turned Clytie into a plant, the sunflower, and because of her undying love and loyalty, the plant moves towards the sun, which represents Apollo, every day.
Sunflowers are also related to happiness or cheerfulness, which is self-explanatory, given the flowers’ bright nature and association with the sun.
Some people believe that sunflowers have spiritual value or meaning. They hold this belief due to the association of the flower to the sun. Others believe that the flower has medical benefits as they claim that it helps with depression, stress, and anxiety.
However, more specifically, the pink sunflower represents good health and innocence. Thus, that makes it a perfect gift item for someone recovering from a health issue or a young person having a celebration.