🌻 SUNFLOWERS: MORE THAN JUST A PRETTY FACE⁠ ⁠ From golden blooms to tasty seeds, this garden goliath shines bright every fall—and has for thousands of years. In “Sunflowers” by Kim Sigafus (Sept/Oct issue), we dig into the cultural, botanical, and practical power of one of America’s most iconic plants.⁠ ⁠ 🌞 Ancient roots: Cultivated as early as 3,000 BCE in what’s now Arizona and New Mexico, sunflowers were first domesticated by Indigenous peoples who bred them into the sturdy, seed-rich forms we know today. Across Native cultures, the sunflower stands for courage and resilience. Seeds were baked into cakes for journeys and battles, or ground into powder to lift the spirit. In some traditions, it’s even called the symbolic “fourth sister” in the Three Sisters planting system.⁠ ⁠ 🌱 Grow your own: Sunflowers thrive in full sun (6–8 hours daily) and loose, well-drained soil. They’re easygoing, fast-growing, and nearly waste-free:⁠ • Seeds can be roasted, pressed into oil, or milled int...