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Safflower is a highly branched, herbaceous, thistleThistles are perennial flowering plants of the genus Cirsium''. They are known for their effusive flowered heads (usually purple, rose, yellow, or white). The radially symmetrical disk flowers are situated at the end of the branches. They have erect, pric-like annual, usually with many long sharp spines on the leaves. Plants are 30 to 150 cm tall with globular flower heads ( capitula ) and commonly, brilliant yellow, orange or red flowers which bloom in July. Each branch will usually have from one to five flower heads containing 15 to 20 seeds per head. Safflower has a strong taproot which enables it to thrive in dry climates, but the plant is very susceptible to frost injury from stem elongation to maturity.
Traditionally, the crop was grown for its flowers, used for colouring and flavouring foods and making red and yellow dyes, especially before cheaper anilineAniline phenylamine or aminobenzene is an organic chemical compound which is a primary aromatic amine consisting of a benzene ring and an amino group. The chemical structure of aniline is shown at the right. It is a liquid at room temperature. Synthesis A dyes became available, and in medicines. For the last fifty years or so, the plant has been cultivated mainly for the vegetable oilA vegetable oil or vegoil is an oil extracted from oilseeds or another plant source. Some vegetable oils, such as rapeseed, cottonseed or castor oil, are not fit for human consumption without further processing. Like all fats, vegetable oils are esters of extracted from its seeds, which was formerly used in the paint industry. Today, it is used mainly as cooking oilCooking oil is purified fat of plant or animal origin, which is liquid at room temperature. Common plant-derived cooking oils ( vegetable oils) are derived from nuts, seeds, grains and beans. Most animal fats are solid at room temperature (and thus not co, salad oil and for the production of margarineMargarine is a generic term used to indicate any of a wide range of butter substitutes. In many parts of the world, margarine is now the best selling table spread, although butter and olive oil also command large market shares. It is used as an ingredient.
There are two types of safflower that produce different kinds of oil: one high in monounsaturated fatty acid ( oleic acidOleic acid is a monounsaturated fatty acid found in various animal and vegetable sources. It has the empirical formula CHO. Its IUPAC name is cis-9-octadecenoic acid, and its lipid shorthand name is 18:1 cis-9. The saturated form of this acid is Stearic A) and the other high in polyunsaturated fatty acid ( linoleic acidLinoleic acid (CHO) is a colourless liquid. The word linoleic comes from the Greek word linon ( flax). Oleic means of, relating to, or derived from oil or of or relating to oleic acid''. Linoleic acid is a polyunsaturated fatty acid used in the biosynthes). Currently the predominant oil market is for the former, which is lower in saturates and higher in monounsaturates than olive oil, for example.
Safflower is one of humanity's oldest crops, but is a minor crop today, with about 600 000 t being produced commercially in more than sixty countries worldwide. India, United States, and Mexico are the leading producers, with Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, China, Argentina and Australia accounting for most of the remainder.
Safflower flowers are occasionally used as a cheaper substitute for saffron. Safflower seed is also used quite commonly as an alternative to sunflower seed in birdfeeders, as squirrels do not like the taste of it.
