The achievement was officially confirmed by Guinness World Records on September 3.According to the Guinness website, the 47-year-old Babich emigrated to the U.S. after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1991. Seven years ago, he began growing sunflowers as a symbol of his love for Ukraine, where the flower is a national emblem.He had already held the U.S. record for the tallest sunflower — growing one that reached 7.67 meters in 2022 and another at 7.95 meters in 2023. This year he surpassed the world record, which had stood for more than a decade.Babich received the seeds for his record-breaking plant from German breeder Burkhard Grendel. The sunflower was named “Clover” after his son Keenai, who often found four-leaf clovers in their yard and placed them on the plant for luck as it grew.As Associated Press reported, the achievement holds special meaning for Babich.“It’s like one of my kids,” he said. “I’m going to die someday, but the stories of this flower will live on,” he said. “My kids will be telling this story to the grandkids.”About 85 people gathered for the official measuring ceremony on September 3, including master gardeners from a local university, representatives of the Allen County Department of Weights and Measures, and Guinness World Records staff, who joined via WhatsApp. The entire process was filmed, including by drone. A 40-foot lift was used to measure the sunflower.“This is very emotional,” Babich added. “For someone who grows giants, this is the best thing that can happen.”Babich’s sunflower will soon be featured in a documentary titled Bloom, set to premiere next summer. In the meantime, he has begun planting sunflowers around campgrounds he visits with his family and giving away seed packets to children at festivals. The packets carry a label reading: “Spread the love — sunflower seeds.”