The safflower

Its name gives it away: The safflower, also known as the dyer’s thistle, was used in the past for dyeing fabrics yellow and red. Even the Ancient Egyp­tians culti­vated the plant, which is still used for dyeing today – although rarely for fabrics. Nowa­days, safflower is popular mainly for its oil.

June 2025

Text: Theresa Petsch
Illustration: Gernot Walter

Unde­manding

90kg N/ha

Safflower requires 90kg N/ha to produce 2t/ha and has only moderate demands for phos­phate, potash and magne­sium.

Sun Worship­pers

As a rule of thumb: Where sunflowers thrive, safflower usually does, too.

Forgotten

Safflower used to grow in fields in Central Europe – in the 17th century, for example, it could be found in Thuringia (Germany) and Alsace (France). Today India, Mexico and the US are the main producers.

Food Colouring

Safflower was used as a substi­tute for the more expen­sive saffron due to its inten­sive colour. Today safflower is used to colour cooking oils, among other things.

Volatile

Safflower yellow fades quickly on expo­sure to light. Safflower red, on the other hand, doesn’t.

Deep-rooted

up to

3m deep

can the taproots go into the soil. Safflor, an annual plant, safflower grows up to two metres in height.

Oily

Out of up to

30t/ha seeds

safflower oil – a high-quality cooking oil with a high content of unsat­u­rated fatty acids – is produced.