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Safflower

Close up of a safflower plant in a field.

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) is plant from the Asteraceae (Sunflower) family, and native to Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Safflower is a deep tap root crop with an above ground architecture similar to a thistle. Safflower is extremely drought tolerant. The safflower flower was traditionally used as a clothing and food dye. In recent years safflower has seed has been crushed and made into and edible oil or sold as whole seeds for bird food.

  • Schillinger, W., R. Jirava, J. Jacobsen, and S. Schofstoll. 2016. Long-Term Safflower Cropping Systems Experiment Near Ritzville, WA.  In 2016 Dryland Field Day Abstracts: Highlights of Research Progress. Dept. of Crop and Soil Sciences Tech Report 16-1, WSU, Pullman, WA.
  • Collins, H., B. Pan, A. Alva, and R. Boydston. 2013. Safflower Oilseed Production Under Deficit Irrigation and Variable N Fertilization. In 2013 Dryland Field Day Abstracts: Highlights of Research Progress. Dept. of Crop and Soil Sciences Tech Report 13-1, WSU, Pullman, WA.
  • Schillinger, W., R. Jirava, J. Jacobsen, and S. Schofstoll. 2013. Safflower Cropping Systems Experiment in the Low-Precipitation Zone. In 2013 Dryland Field Day Abstracts: Highlights of Research Progress. Dept. of Crop and Soil Sciences Tech Report 13-1, WSU, Pullman, WA.
  • Hang, A.N. and H.P. Collins. 2009. Effect of Various Nitrogen and Water Application Rates to Safflower Yield and Oil Concentration. In 2009 Field Day Abstracts: Highlights of Research Progress. Dept. of Crop and Soil Sciences Tech. Report 09-1, WSU, Pullman, WA.

Visit the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences site to see all the CSS Field Day Abstracts.

  • 2013 Oilseed Production and Marketing Conference
    • Safflower Production in Eastern Washington – Background History, Production Practices, Yields and Water Use
      Hal Collins, USDA-ARS Prosser
    • Safflower Oilseed Production under Deficit Irrigation and Variable N Fertilization 
      Hal Collins1, An Hang2, Ashok Alva1, and Rick Boydston1, 1USDA-ARS Prosser, WA; 2Washington State University, Prosser, WA

  • Collins, H.P., A. Hang, W.L. Pan, and R. Cochran. 2012. Safflower Oilseed Production Under Deficit Irrigation and Variable N Fertilization. Poster presentation at Northwest Bioenergy Research Symposium. Seattle, WA. Nov. 13, 2012.