Sunflower
The common sunflower is a large annual forb, grown as a crop for its edible oil and edible fruits. The plant was first domesticated in the Americas. Sunflower seeds were brought to Europe from the Americas in the 16th century, where, along with sunflower oil, they became a widespread cooking ingredient. Tsar Peter the Great was so fascinated by the sunny flowers he saw in the Netherlands that he took some back to Russia. By the 19th century, the country was planting two million acres of sunflowers every year.
