Carthamus tinctorius

safflower

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Carthamus tinctorius L. (Asteraceae); saffloer (Afrikaans); hong hua (Chinese); carthame (French); Färberdistel, Saflor (German); cartamo (Italian); cártamo (Spanish)

DESCRIPTION The dried florets are about 6 mm (¼ in.) long and have a bright orange colour.

THE PLANT A thistle-like annual with spiny leaves and attractive flower heads surrounded by spiny bracts.

ORIGIN Safflower is a cultigen (no wild plants have ever been found). It was probably developed in the Middle East, from where it spread to ancient India, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia and later to Europe and China.1 Garlands of safflower were found in the tomb of Tutankhamen in Egypt.1 Since ancient times, safflower has been a source of orange-red dye, used to colour cloth (largely replaced by synthetic aniline dyes that are cheaper). The seed oil is now the most important product.

CULTIVATION Safflower is cultivated in several countries in the Middle East for the production of dried flowers that are used as a saffron substitute. It is susceptible to diseases and therefore requires a short, wet season and long, dry season.2

HARVESTING The florets are harvested by hand. Spineless forms have been developed to ease harvesting.2 The fruits (achenes or “seeds”) are non-shedding and harvested mechanically.

CULINARY USES Dried flowers (florets) are used as a saffron substitute for colouring and flavouring rice dishes and as ingredient of spice mixtures and herbal teas. It is sometimes sold as true saffron to unsuspecting or uninformed clients. Another member of the family used in the same way is Mexican marigold (Tagetes erecta or T. lemmonii). Powdered florets (“petals”) are an essential ingredient of the Georgian spice mixtures khmeli ajika (based on hot chillies) and khmeli suneli (based on blue fenugreek, Trigonella caerulea), not only to add colour but also to enhance the flavours of other ingredients.3 Marigold powder is a commercial source of yellow/orange food colouring and is an additive to chicken feed to improve the colour of egg yolks.4 Leaves of the related huacataya or tagette (Tagetes minuta) are used to make a pesto-like bottled paste called “black mint sauce” which is popular in South America (e.g. as an ingredient of Peruvian ocopa, a potato dish). Florets of pot marigold (Calendula officinalis) are also used as saffron substitute and as edible garnish to add colour to salads.

FLAVOUR COMPOUNDS Saffron and other sources of edible florets are used mainly as food colourings and not so much for flavour. The pigment in safflower is a benzoquinone called carthamin (safflower yellow). Mexican marigold and Chrysanthemum species produce mixtures of carotenoids, of which lutein is often the main compound.

NOTES Cold-pressed safflower seed oil (popular in the health food industry) is polyunsaturated and contains 75% linoleic acid.

1. Knowles, P.F., Ashri, A. 1995. Safflower. In: Smartt, J., Simmonds, N.W. (Eds), Evolution of crop plants (2nd ed.), pp. 47–49. Longman, London.

2. Singh, V., Nimbkar, N. 2007. Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.). In: Singh, R.J. (Ed.), Genetic resources, chromosome engineering and crop improvement: Oilseed crops, Vol. 4, pp. 167–194. CRC Press, Boca Raton.

3. Margvelashvili, J. 1991. The classic cuisine of Soviet Georgia. Prentice Hall Press, New York.

4. Hadden, W.L. et al. 1999. Carotenoid composition of marigold (Tagetes erecta) flower extract used as nutritional supplement. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 47: 4189–4194.