Sporty Sunflowers

When you drive past a crop field and see that lone tall stalk, what do you call it? Growing up, my dad called them bastard stalks. I don't know that they caused any big problem but that was the term. He viewed it more as a seed quality check from the supplier. My wife claims that the more official term is a "sport". When I look up sport in botany terms, it seems to refer to a variation on a plant, not a whole plant (like a different white rose on a red rose plant full of red roses). If any of you more educated plant people have a more accurate description, please send me a note.

Sunflowers in this field were generally 6-7 feet tall. In the first photo, you see one really tall stalk in the field providing a great perch for a bird. That plant is probably about 10 feet tall with a full sized head. If it were not in the middle of the field, I would have walked out to it for closer inspection. I am guessing its stalk had to be more like a small tree! The bird perched atop with an oil rig and power lines in the distance made for a fun shot. The bland grey morning skies didn't add much to the photo. I can't really see details on the bird but my guess is a dickcissel. I have seen them before in sunflower fields. You see another "sport/bastard" to the left but it is more like a different variety with its smaller flowers.

Here a few more sunflowers attempting to stand out in their field.

This stalk of sunflowers looks more like what you may see growing on the side of the road as a weed. You can see another really tall stalk in the back right of the photo.

Thanks,

Doug White

https://jdwarchive.blogspot.com/