Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius)

The safflower belongs to the family Asteraceae, and resembles thistle. It is an old cultural crop originating in the steppe and semi-steppe regions of Eastern India. From its flowers, red and yellow dyes were obtained in the Near East as early as in the Old Age.

Seeds

Importance and seed composition:

The safflower is cultivated mainly for obtaining oil form seeds. Oil is used for human consumption, and for the production of soap, paints, cosmetics, etc. It can also be used as livestock fodder, but only at the beginning of blooming, later the leaves become prickly. It is palatable for the animals because the green matter is high in soluble carbohydrates. It is also grown as green manure. It is suitable for bee-keepers because it blooms in late summer when it is one of few blooming plants, and gives a large amount of nectar. In the blooming period, petals can be collected to be used as a cheaper substitute for saffron. However, they do not contain saffron’s active substances and provide only pigments.

Fruits are achenes with a very thick and hard pericarp therefore crude fibre content in unhusked seed is very high (about 27 %). Fat content in achenes is 25-37 %, in husked seeds it is 45-55 %. Oil contains up to 80 % linoleic acid, and only about 0.2 % linolenic acid. Crude protein content is 17-35 %, mineral content 2 %.

Cultivation requirements:

The safflower cultivation requires dry and warm climate. It is not demanding for soil, chalky soils are suitable. Acid and waterlogged soils are not suitable. It does not tolerate fresh manure. If grown for seeds, safflower is sown from the middle of March, and it is frost resistant. It grows up to 110 cm, the roots can reach 2.5m deep. Therefore it can obtain nutrients flushed to deep soil layers. It is drought resistant.