How to Identify Sunflower Seeds
A sunny addition to the garden, the sunflower also bears seeds that make a tasty snack. When looking for sunflower seeds to plant or eat, you will need to know how to identify them. What you do with the seeds after you know what they are is up to you. If not planting them, try roasting the seeds whole and cracking the seeds between your teeth, or just enjoy the seeds raw. Serve leftover seeds to the birds and squirrels in your yard to distract them from eating other things in your garden.
Look for large sunflowers with yellow petals surrounding a brown or black central head containing the seeds.
Wait for the petals to droop and begin to fall off and the back of the head to change to brown.
- A sunny addition to the garden, the sunflower also bears seeds that make a tasty snack.
- Serve leftover seeds to the birds and squirrels in your yard to distract them from eating other things in your garden.
Cut the sunflower stem one foot below the head and hang upside down in a cool, dry spot until it is completely dried.
Rub your hand across the front of the head in the area full of the black seeds.
Identify by looking for teardrop-shaped seeds with white stripes on black background.
