Oh the sunflowers!

Native Americans domesticated the common sunflower around 5,000 years ago.The seeds are small but edible. The Ramah Navajo sprinkled an infusion of prairie sunflower essences onto clothes for luck in hunting. (There distinct odor would have helped conceal the hunter). 

The Hopi dried the yellow petals and powdered them to make a yellow ceremonial face powder; when they found prairie sunflowers with many flowers, they took it as a sign that there would be ample rain and a good harvest. 

Good news! This summer the Oregon plains are alight with prairie sunflowers.