Sunflowers don’t exactly “see” the sun in the way humans do with eyes, but they exhibit a fascinating behavior known as heliotropism.
In the bud stage, young sunflowers face east in the morning to catch the first rays of the rising sun. As the day progresses, they slowly track the sun across the sky, following its path until sunset when they return to an eastward orientation.
This movement is due to differential growth on the side of the stem facing away from the sun, causing the sunflower to bend and reorient itself. It’s like the sunflower is dancing with the sun throughout the day. This heliotropic behavior is thought to optimize the flower’s exposure to sunlight, maximizing photosynthesis and, consequently, energy production.