wlower "world_flowers"

  Sunflower The botanical name is Helianthus. The Greek word “helios” means sun and “anthos” means flower. It is aptly named after the sun which it resembles. Description Sunflowers have a large flower head, usually with a large, almost black central part which is made up of thousands of tiny florets that later become seeds set in a spiral pattern. The petals are typically bright yellow, although some varieties are orange or red. Its stem is rough and hairy while the leaves large and rough with coarse jagged edges. Sunflowers typically grow to between one and a half and three and a half metres, with some giant variants reaching up to eight metres. Habitat Helianthus originated in the Americas, where Native Americans grew it for years as a source of food. In line with its original habitat, it requires hot and dry conditions to thrive. Availability Sunflower seeds should be sown in fertile, moist, well-drained soil that contains heavy mulch. They need full sun to grow properly and develo

  Cambridge moonflower: Wait over for 'UK's first' bloom CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY BOTANIC GARDEN image caption The rare type of Amazonian moonflower is in full bloom after widespread anticipation A rare Amazonian cactus that has attracted interest from around the world has started to bloom. The team at Cambridge University Botanic Garden believe their moonflower  Selenicere us wittii  is the first to flower in the UK. Thousands of people have viewed a webcam which has been trained on the plant for about 11 days. It was thought the plant would blossom at night, but a garden spokesperson said it appeared it was a "sun lover". A webcam has been focused on the plant for 11 days during the wait for it to flower The plant normally only flowers between sunset and sunrise, but the garden's director Prof Beverley Glover said "these things are always done at their own pace". "I'm not as surprised as some might be, as plants have a habit of doing their own