Safflower (False Saffron)
Carthamus tinctorius. ASTERACEAE (COMPOSITAE).
Planting and Growing Safflower
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow safflower in the accompanying table’s tabs:
-
-
- Flowers, foliage, and root structure of safflower
- Plant hardiness and growing conditions for safflower
- Season of bloom and planting time for safflower
- When, how deep, and where to plant safflower
- How to plant safflower
- Watering, fertilizing, care, and pests or diseases of safflower
- Landscape and container uses of safflower
- Comments about safflower and its features
-
Growing Safflower
A few cultivars of erect, branching, narrow, spiny annual herbs, to 3 ft. (90 cm) tall and 12–18 in. (30–45 cm) wide. Alternate, shiny, textured, gray or olive green, lance-shaped, spine-toothed leaves, 2–3 in. (50–75 mm) long.
Spineless cultivars available.
Planting and Care Guide
Blooms
Showy, solitary, golden yellow, thistlelike, thread-rayed, edible flowers, to 1-1/2-in. (38-cm) wide, in a rosette of green, armed bracts, in summer, form edible seed.
Best Climates
Self-seeding, zones 2–10. Best in arid climates.
Soil Type and Fertility
Damp, well-drained, sandy loam. Fertility: Average. 6.5–7.5 pH.
Where and How to Plant
Spring in full sun, 4–6 in. (10–15 cm) apart.
Proper Care
Easy. Keep damp; allow soil surface to dry between waterings. Fertilize every 2 months. Stake tall cultivars. Propagate by seed.
About This Plant
Good choice for accents, backgrounds, barriers, borders, fencelines, massed plantings, walls in cottage, meadow, seaside gardens. Good for cutting, drying. Pest resistant. Fungal disease susceptible. Seed is the source of safflower oil.
Safflower False Saffron Carthamus tinctorius ASTERACEAE (COMPOSITAE cold protection of safflower collecting safflower seeds containers for safflower cultivating safflower diseases of safflower fertilizing safflower grow safflower grow safflower step-by-step growing safflower growing safflower from seeds growing safflower in containers how does safflower grow how is safflower grown how safflower grows how to grow safflower how to plant safflower how to prepare soil for safflower mulching safflower pests of safflower pinch-pruning safflower pinching safflower plant safflower planting safflower planting safflower from seeds planting safflower in beds planting safflower in containers protecting safflower from cold pruning safflower safflower annual pruning safflower care safflower cold protection safflower cultivation safflower cuttings safflower deadheading safflower disease resistance safflower diseases safflower flowers safflower frost protection safflower fruit safflower growing safflower growing zone safflower grown safflower hardiness zone safflower in containers safflower in garden beds safflower in raised beds safflower irrigation safflower pest resistance safflower pests safflower pinch-pruning safflower pinching safflower planting safflower propagation safflower seed safflower seedlings safflower shade needs safflower soil safflower soil fertility safflower soil needs safflower soil pH safflower spacing safflower sun requirements safflower temperature safflower thinning safflower transplanting safflower tree care safflower watering safflower zone spacing safflower steps to grow safflower steps to plant safflower storing safflower seeds thinning safflower to grow safflower to plant safflower transplanting safflower U.S.D.A. plant hardiness zone for safflower watering safflower weeding safflower when to plant safflower where do safflower grow where to grow safflower where to plant safflower