The Safflower (Kusum) Crop Explained

The safflower is a hardy, thistle-like annual plant, known in India as kusum or kardi, that is grown for the edible oil in its seeds and for the red and yellow dyes in its orange flower heads. It is one of the oldest cultivated crops of the Old World, and in India it is grown mainly as a dryland winter crop across the Deccan plateau, where it survives on the moisture left in the soil after the monsoon.

The safflower plant carries spiny leaves, a deep taproot and bright flower heads that look like small orange pompoms. Farmers value safflower because it asks for very little water, yet gives a cooking oil that is rich in unsaturated fats, a cattle feed from the leftover cake and, in earlier centuries, a valued natural dye.

Key Takeaways

• Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) is a thistle-like member of the daisy family, Asteraceae, grown for oil and dye.
• In India, safflower is a rabi crop, sown in autumn and harvested in late winter, and it depends largely on residual soil moisture.
• Maharashtra and Karnataka are the traditional heartland of safflower cultivation in India, with the Deccan plateau as its main region.
• Safflower seeds yield an edible oil rich in unsaturated fatty acids, and different varieties give either linoleic-rich or oleic-rich oil.
• Safflower florets produce a red dye called carthamin and a yellow dye, and the dried petals are sometimes sold as a cheap substitute for saffron.
• Safflower is not the same plant as saffron, which comes from the stigmas of Crocus sativus, a completely different species.

What is safflower and where does it come from?

Safflower is a domesticated annual herb of the daisy family, Asteraceae, whose scientific name is Carthamus tinctorius, and it is believed to have originated in the region stretching from the eastern Mediterranean and West Asia to Central Asia. The species name tinctorius means “of dyers”, a reminder that dyeing, rather than oil, was the original reason for growing it.

Archaeological and textual records suggest that safflower was grown in the ancient Near East and Egypt thousands of years ago, where its flowers were used to colour textiles and as garlands. From there, the crop travelled eastwards along trade routes to the Indian subcontinent, Central Asia and China. India became one of its long-standing homes because the semi-arid plateau suited its drought-hardy habit.

In Indian languages the plant has several names. Kusum is the common name in Hindi and Marathi, while kardi or kardai is widely used for the seed and oil in Maharashtra. The Sanskrit name kusumbha appears in old texts that describe dyed cloth and medicinal preparations. Because the same words sometimes refer to the dye, the flower and the oil, readers should check the context before assuming which meaning is intended.

What does a safflower plant look like?

A safflower plant is an erect, branched herb that usually grows to between half a metre and one and a half metres tall, with glossy, oblong leaves that have spiny margins in most traditional varieties. Its most striking feature is the flower head, called a capitulum, which opens as a cluster of orange-yellow florets and slowly turns deeper red as it matures.

The plant grows a strong taproot that can reach deep into the soil, sometimes more than a metre, in search of stored moisture. This is the main reason safflower can finish its life cycle on a winter crop that receives almost no irrigation. In its early weeks the plant forms a rosette of leaves close to the ground and grows slowly, and only after that stage does it send up the branching stem on which the flower heads appear.

Each flower head is surrounded by stiff, spiny bracts, and a single head can produce between fifteen and fifty seeds. The seeds are white or pale cream, smooth, four-sided and slightly larger than sunflower kernels in some types. Because the bracts and leaf edges are prickly, harvesting spiny varieties by hand is uncomfortable, and many farmers harvest in the early morning when the plants are softer. Breeders have released spineless or low-spine varieties to make the work easier.

Where and when is safflower grown in India?

Safflower is grown in India mainly in the semi-arid parts of the Deccan plateau, with Maharashtra and Karnataka being the traditional leading states, followed by smaller areas in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Within Maharashtra, the districts of Marathwada and Solapur and neighbouring areas are especially well known for the crop.

The crop belongs to the rabi season. Farmers sow safflower on black cotton soils in September or October, when the monsoon has ended but the deep soil still holds water. The plants grow through the cool, dry winter, flower around January and are harvested between February and March. This timing allows the crop to use rainfall that fell months earlier.

The area under safflower in India has fluctuated considerably over the decades. It was once much larger, but many farmers shifted to crops such as chickpea, sorghum and wheat that were backed by better procurement and irrigation. As a result, the figures for area and production change from year to year, and the most reliable approach is to consult the latest data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. India remains a notable producer in the global picture, though countries such as Kazakhstan, Russia, the United States and Mexico have also grown large quantities in various periods.

How is safflower cultivated?

Safflower is cultivated as a low-input dryland crop that is sown directly in rows in well-prepared, moisture-retentive soil and given little or no irrigation. The preferred soil is a deep, well-drained clay loam or black cotton soil, since a shallow soil would limit the taproot and the plant’s ability to find water.

Sowing and crop care

Farmers usually sow safflower with a seed drill, leaving moderate spacing between rows and thinning the plants after about three weeks. Seeds are often treated against fungal disease before sowing. Early weeding is important because the seedlings grow slowly and cannot compete well with weeds in the first month. After that, the dense canopy and deep roots allow the crop to manage with few operations.

Pests and diseases

The most common pest is the safflower aphid, which sucks sap from the growing tips and can reduce yield sharply in cool, cloudy weather. Capsule borers and caterpillars can also damage the heads. Among diseases, wilt and root rot caused by soil-borne fungi and leaf spots are recognised problems, particularly when the field is waterlogged. Crop rotation with cereals, resistant varieties and timely sowing are the main preventive measures.

Harvest

The crop is ready when the leaves and bracts turn brown and dry. The heads are cut by hand or by sickle, dried and threshed, and the seeds are winnowed and stored dry. Farmers who want the petals for dye or herbal use pick the florets before the seeds mature, which is a labour-intensive job that is normally carried out by hand.

What is safflower oil used for?

Safflower oil is used mainly as an edible cooking and salad oil, and it is also used in some paints, varnishes and cosmetic products. The seeds contain roughly a third of their weight as oil, and the oil is pale yellow, light in taste and low in saturated fat compared with many other vegetable oils.

Two main types of safflower oil exist. The traditional type is rich in linoleic acid, a polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid. A second type, developed through breeding, is rich in oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat, and it is more stable at high temperatures, which makes it better suited to frying. Both types have a smoke point that is relatively high, though the oleic type is more heat-resistant.

In India, safflower oil is sold under the names kardi oil or kusum oil, and it has traditionally been used in Maharashtra and Karnataka as a cooking medium. In the past, the edible oil market has been dominated by groundnut, mustard, soybean and palm, so safflower remains a niche product. Its price and availability vary, and some of the oil is marketed as a premium health oil in bottled form.

The oilseed cake that remains after pressing is rich in protein and is used as cattle feed, although the husk content affects its quality. Dehulled seeds produce a higher-protein meal. The plant’s stalks and leaves are also used as fodder or, in some cases, as fuel.

How is safflower used as a dye?

Safflower is used as a dye because its florets contain two pigments, a yellow, water-soluble colour and a red colour called carthamin, which can be extracted to colour cloth, food and cosmetics. Historically, the red pigment was especially prized because natural red dyes were scarce and expensive.

The extraction process relies on the different chemical behaviour of the pigments. The yellow colour dissolves easily in water and is washed away first, and the remaining material is treated with an alkaline solution to release the red carthamin, which is then precipitated by adding a mild acid. Cloth dyed with this pigment was historically used for silk and cotton garments, and the pigment was also used to make a red cosmetic and rouge in several civilisations.

Safflower dye has poor light-fastness, meaning the red fades with exposure to sunlight, and that is one reason it declined once synthetic dyes arrived in the nineteenth century. Today the florets are used for small-scale natural dyeing, for colouring foods in a limited way and for herbal products. Dried petals are sometimes sold as “bastard saffron” or marketed as a cheap substitute for saffron, but the flavour and aroma of the two are very different.

Is safflower the same as saffron?

No, safflower is not the same as saffron: safflower comes from Carthamus tinctorius, a daisy-family plant, whereas saffron is the dried stigma of the Crocus sativus flower, which belongs to the iris family. The two plants are unrelated, and they differ greatly in price, aroma and how they are harvested.

The confusion arises because dried safflower petals look somewhat like saffron threads and give a similar yellow-orange colour to food. Saffron, however, contains compounds such as crocin and safranal that produce its characteristic taste and fragrance, while safflower petals have only a mild, slightly bitter taste. Saffron is among the most expensive spices by weight because each flower yields only a few threads, while safflower is cheap and abundant.

What are the health and traditional uses of safflower?

Safflower is used in traditional medicine systems and as a health food, mainly through its seed oil and its dried florets, which are brewed as a herbal tea in some regions. The oil is valued in modern nutrition because it is high in unsaturated fats and contains vitamin E, a natural antioxidant.

In Ayurvedic and other traditional texts, kusumbha is described as having uses in treating skin conditions, wounds and some digestive complaints, and in traditional Chinese medicine the petals are used in preparations for circulatory complaints. These traditional claims have not all been confirmed by rigorous clinical studies, so they should be treated as part of cultural practice and not as proven medical advice. Anyone who is pregnant, on blood-thinning medicines or managing a health condition should speak to a doctor before using safflower petals medicinally.

As a food, the oil is used for cooking and dressings. Because the linoleic type oxidises relatively easily, it is better suited to cold uses, while the oleic type can handle deep-frying. Like any oil, it is high in calories, so quantity matters for a balanced diet.

Why does safflower matter for Indian farmers and the environment?

Safflower matters because it offers a productive use of dry land after the monsoon, where few other crops can survive, and it helps farmers diversify their income away from cereals and cotton. Its deep roots help it draw water from lower soil layers, so the crop can complete its life cycle with little or no irrigation.

The plant also fits well into dryland rotations. After a kharif crop such as sorghum, soybean or cotton, safflower can use the remaining moisture, and its deep roots help break up compact soil layers. In mixed cropping, it is often grown with chickpea or wheat in alternate rows, which spreads the risk if one crop fails.

Challenges remain. Yields on farmers’ fields are often modest, aphid attacks can be severe, and spiny plants require extra labour for harvesting. Price support, better varieties, spineless types and stronger markets for both oil and petals are widely seen as ways to improve the economics. India’s agricultural research system, including the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and its institutes for oilseeds research, has released improved varieties and hybrids for this purpose.

Where is safflower going in the future?

The future of safflower in India depends largely on better varieties, assured markets and rising interest in natural products. India imports a large share of the edible oil it consumes, which has led to repeated policy attention to oilseeds, and safflower is one of the crops that can use marginal dryland that is unsuitable for many other oilseeds.

Several developments could support the crop. Spineless and high-oleic varieties meet both farmer and consumer needs, and growing interest in natural dyes and herbal teas opens small but premium markets for the florets. Researchers are also exploring uses of safflower in the production of specialty proteins and other plant-based products, though many of these remain at an experimental stage.

Quick checklist of safflower strengths

• Tolerates drought and grows on residual moisture.
• Yields oil, dye, feed and fodder from one plant.
• Fits well in rotations with cereals and pulses.
• Can be grown on marginal, rain-fed land with few inputs.

Bottom Line

Safflower (kusum) is a drought-hardy daisy-family crop that gives India an edible oil, a feed cake and a traditional red-and-yellow dye from a single plant, grown largely on rain-fed black soils of the Deccan. It is often confused with saffron, but the two are entirely different plants, and safflower remains a modest yet useful crop for dryland farmers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is safflower called in Hindi and Marathi?

Safflower is called kusum in Hindi and Marathi, and the seed or oil is commonly known as kardi or kardai in Maharashtra. The Sanskrit name kusumbha is also used in classical texts. Local names differ from region to region, so the same word may refer to the flower, the dye or the oil.

Is safflower the same as saffron?

No, safflower and saffron are different plants. Safflower is Carthamus tinctorius, a daisy-family plant grown for oil and dye, while saffron is the dried stigma of Crocus sativus, an iris-family flower. Saffron is far more expensive and has a distinctive aroma, whereas dried safflower petals are only a cheap colouring substitute.

Which Indian states grow the most safflower?

Maharashtra and Karnataka are the traditional leading safflower-growing states in India. Smaller areas are found in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Exact area and production figures change from year to year, so the latest government agricultural statistics should be checked for current numbers.

Is safflower oil healthy?

Safflower oil is low in saturated fat and rich in unsaturated fatty acids, so it is considered a useful cooking oil when used in moderation. Linoleic-type oil is rich in omega-6 fats, while oleic-type oil is rich in monounsaturated fat and handles heat better. Like all oils it is high in calories, so portion size still matters for a balanced diet.

When is safflower sown and harvested in India?

Safflower is a rabi crop in India that is sown in September or October and harvested around February to March. It grows through the winter on the moisture stored in the soil after the monsoon, so it usually needs little or no irrigation. Sowing dates can shift slightly with the region and the arrival of rains.

What is safflower dye used for?

Safflower dye is used to colour textiles, food and cosmetics, and its florets yield both a yellow and a red pigment called carthamin. The red dye was historically valued for silk and cotton, though it fades in sunlight. Today it is used mainly for small-scale natural dyeing and herbal or food colouring.

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