The Ukrainian immigrant cultivates the greatest sunflower in the world, a symbol of peace and inheritance

Fort Wayne, ind. (AP) – When Ukrainian immigrant Alex Babich is held in his backyard of the Indiana climbing the neck to look at 35 feet (11 meters) in the sky, he does not only look at a sunflower. He looks at his roots – and his future heritage.

The flower, nicknamed “Clover” and confirmed Wednesday by Guinness World Records as the highest sunflower ever measured, extends as high as a telephone post.

The achievement of the feat has a particular meaning for Babich, 47, because the sunflowers are the national flower of Ukraine.

Born and raised in Ukraine, he immigrated to the United States at the age of 14 in 1991 after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Seven years ago, he started Sunflower cultivates as a symbol of his Love for his country of origin. The first sunflower of Babich was 13 feet (4 meters) in height, then 15 (4.5), then 19 (5.8). Quickly, he started wondering: “How far can we take this?” Babich said the record flower was the result of “tests and errors over the years”.

“It’s one of my children,” he said. “You are there, taking care of this.”

Babich’s 10 -year -old son also had an important contribution which has earned the imposing flower his name. He climbed on the scaffolding and put four leaves on the sunflower leaves, for good luck.

“I’m going to die one day, but the stories of this flower will live,” he said. “My children will tell this story to grandchildren.”

When the day of the measure came on September 3, Babich was nervous.

About 85 people had gathered to look, including several masters gardeners from a local university and representatives of the Department of Weights and Measures of the County of Allen. Babich was on a WhatsApp call with a representative of Guinness World Records. A camera team was running and a drone flew over the head. Even Icy D. Eagle, the mascot of the ice hockey team from the Fort Wayne Komets minor league, was there, according to Guinness.

They used a 40 -foot cherry picker to measure the flower. The clover was 35 feet (11 meters) and 9 inches (22.9 centimeters), 5 feet (1.5 meters) higher than the previous world holder in Germany.

“It’s very emotional,” said Babich. “It’s as good as for someone who grows giants.”

Growing up in the midst of food shortages in Ukraine sparked Babich’s love for gardening. His affection for The sunflowers deepen After the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 in Russia.

“We simply pray that war ends, that murder stops,” said Babich. “We just hope it inspires some people in the right places. It’s been quite a long time.”

The sunflower has long been a national symbol representing peace in Ukraine, and since 2022, it has become a symbol of solidarity with the besieged country. In a viral video clip at the beginning of the war, a Ukrainian woman confronted a Russian soldier, finally proposing to “put Sunflower seeds in your pocket So they grow when you die.

In 1996, the Ministers of the United States, Russia and Ukraine Sunflowers planted in Pervomaysk Missile base to mark the disarmament of the country’s nuclear weapons. In 1986, after the explosion of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant which then brought Babich’s family to the United States, scientists planted sunflowers to eliminate toxins from the soil.

Babich’s sunflower will soon be the star of a documentary, entitled “Bloom”, planned for its release this summer. In the meantime, Babich began to plant sunflowers in the campsites he visited with his family and by making children with children during festivals.

Seed packages are stickers with the words “to spread love – sunflower seeds”.

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Fernando reported to Chicago.