Carthamus tinctorius - or safflower - is one the oldest cultivated plants of record. Seeds have been found in pharaohs' tombs dating back at least to 2000 B.C. and safflower has been cultivated by the ancient Chinese as an oil crop and for medicinal use. In more recent centuries the flowers have been used for yellow, orange and red dyes as well as 'saffron-like' food additives. In the U.S. in the first half of the last century saffron oil was used as a high-quality paint medium. Today the oil is a readily-available cosmetic & food additive, including its use as a cooking and salad oil.
But it was not until the recent 1970's that the cut-flower industry began developing safflower as a marketable product. Through the 80', 90's and early 2000's demand has steadily increased for this hardly known, peculiar little flower. Be sure to ask for availability the next time you're looking for something a little different.
1 comment:
nice page, please check out mine, thanks
http://fantasyflowersgifts.blogspot.com/
Post a Comment