Unfortunately, once sunflowers are cut, they cease to receive the essential nutrients they need from the plant to successfully develop seeds. This means that even if the sunflowers were not sterile, they would not be able to produce edible seeds for birds or any other purpose.
When a sunflower is cut, it is essentially disconnected from its source of nourishment – the plant itself. The cut stem can no longer transport water, minerals, and sugars from the roots to the flower head. Without these essential nutrients, the sunflower is unable to continue its reproductive process and form viable seeds.
Additionally, sunflowers typically rely on pollination to produce seeds. In their natural habitat, bees, butterflies, or other pollinators visit the flowers and transfer pollen from the male reproductive organ (stamen) to the female reproductive organ (pistil). This process fertilizes the flower and initiates seed development. However, when sunflowers are cut and placed in a vase inside your house, there is little to no chance of them being pollinated.
It’s important to note that even if the sunflowers were somehow pollinated after being cut, the lack of nutrients and the unfavorable environment for seed development would still prevent the production of viable and edible seeds.
In my personal experience as a gardener, I have observed that once sunflowers are cut and brought indoors, they tend to wilt and eventually wither away. Their vibrant petals wilt, and the flower head droops, indicating that the life cycle of the sunflower has been interrupted.
To sum up, cut sunflowers do not have the ability to produce seeds, whether they are sterile or not. Their disconnection from the plant and lack of essential nutrients prevent them from continuing their reproductive process. So, if you’re hoping to provide edible seeds for birds or save seeds for future planting, it’s best to leave the sunflowers on the plant until they naturally mature and dry out.
