Science in a Minute: New Study May Explain Why Sunflowers Face East

Your browser doesn’t support HTML5

A study, led by the University of California, Davis suggests that mature sunflowers face east so they can grab as much morning warmth as possible. This helps the sunflower release pollen earlier in the day, which attracts more pollinating bees and helps the plants to produce larger and heavier seeds, allowing them to reproduce more efficiently.