Safflower – Poor mans Saffron – Heirloom Herb – Carthamus tinctorius – 5 Seeds

A highly branched, herbaceous, thistle-like annual plant. It is commercially cultivated for vegetable oil extracted from the seeds. Plants are 30 to 150 cm tall with globular flower heads having yellow, orange, or red flowers. Each branch will usually have between one to five flower heads containing 15 to 20 seeds per head. Safflower is native to arid environments having seasonal rain. It grows a deep taproot which enables it to thrive in such environments. Safflower flowers are used in cooking as a cheaper substitute for saffron, sometimes referred to as “bastard saffron” or poor mans saffron.