Safflower Carthamus

The safflower plant is a part of the genus Carthamus.  Characteristics of plants in the Carthamus genus are; tubular yellow or orange flowers, annual, flowers in the Summer, usually less than one meter in height.  There are 14 different species in the Carthamus genus. Safflower is the most popularly known because of its uses in health supplements, dyes, and bird seed.

So basically Safflower is the most popularly plant in the Carthamus Genus. Carthamus plants are usually:
-consisting of tubular flowers
-yellow or orange
-annual
-flower in Summer
-shorter than 1 meter

safflower technologies international

Safflower Technologies International (STI) is a company that researches many topics related to safflower plant. The information I have gathered hear is taken from their website. They analyze and experiment with the breeding of safflower plants, safflower research, and safflower production. Safflower technologies international has locations in both Montana and North Dakota. STI's focuses on selling safflower seed for bird seed. Safflower technologies international is now developing an oil that is less saturated and higher oleic. They are calling this Healthola.

Safflower threads

Safflower threads also known as safflower petals have been used for health benefits for many years. They are used to make a safflower tea.  Here is a quote from the "Healthy Renegade."

A tea of safflower petals can have a similar effect to chamomile tea, soothing and relaxing. It has been used in Chinese traditional medicine, in Native American herbal medicine and in Ayurvedic medicine, for remarkably similar purposes. It has been used to treat scabies, skin lesions, heart conditions and rashes, and the most recent research indicates that safflower tea may help reduce cholesterol levels.

So basically safflower threads or petals have been used in tea for many years by the Chinese and Native Americans as medicine. They can help treat:
-scabies
-skin lesions
-heart conditions
-rashes
-high cholesterol

Oleic Safflower Oil

Oleic safflower oil can be used as a health supplement in many ways. It has been used for many years as an additive to foods, but recently it has become more popular. this is due to the new realization that monunsaturated fats are very important to your body and saturated and polyunsaturated fats are bad for your body.  Oleic safflower oil is high in monounsaturated fats while also being low in polyunsaturated and saturated fats. Like stated in earlier posts, oleic safflower oil can be used in foods in many ways because it is odorless and tasteless. It can be added into dressings or sauces or really anything you want.
Some benefits of oleic safflower oil are that it can help in losing weight, lowering cholesterol, and it can help strengthen the immune system.

Safflower bird seed

Safflower has had many uses throughout history including being used in dyes for thousands of years, and as a health supplements more recently. One of its most recent new found uses is in bird seed.  Almost all high quality bird seeds contain safflower seed because of the birds it attracts and the animals is doesn't attract. Although it has benefits, safflower bird seed is also usually more expensive than other brands or types of bird seed. For some reason bird seeds containing safflower seem to not attract squirrels, which can make up for a major percentage of the population feeding at the bird feeder.  Safflower seeds also do not attract starlings or grackles which are often not what birdwatchers want to see. This could actually end up saving the costumer money in the end because less food is being wasted on squirrels, and the starlings and grackles. In fact, cardinals love safflower seed which is partly why bird seeds across North America have started using it so much.

Safflower Seed

Although Safflower was originally used as a dye, it has recently been used for a health supplement, and now safflower seeds are even used as birdseed.  Safflower is grown mostly for its oil, but the it is also grown popularly for its seeds. Safflower seeds need the temperature of the soil they are in to be higher than forty degrees Celsius before germinating.  This is pretty important because it if germination doesn't occur under forty degree Celsius, then it restricts the amounts of places where Safflower can grow. Safflower will not grow in a cold climate.
Safflower seeds are very small and usually white or tinted brown. Safflower seed is incorporated into birdseed. It doesn't totally replace it. If you are familiar with bird seed, you will know that there are multiple types of seeds in it varying in size and quantity. Safflower seed is one of the bigger seed in birdseed and simply replaces one of the other seeds.  It is also a common belief that squirrels do not like safflower seed, which will help the birds consume the birdseed without you having to worry about squirrels. This is the major reason why safflower seeds have begun to be incorporated in birdseed.

Safflower Oil

Safflower oil is a much more recently discovered and used source for health benefits in comparison to other oils such as flaxseed and fish oil.  Safflower oil was not popularly used as a health supplement up until the 1960's. Although it hasn't been used as a health supplement for very long, it has been used as a dye for thousands of years.
Safflower Oil comes in two forms. The first form is monounsaturated safflower oil.  This type of safflower oil is used as a cooking oil and is high in oleic acid. This type of safflower oil is not very beneficial to your health.  The other type of safflower oil is called polyunsaturated oil.  This is the type that is good for your health and used as a health supplement.  Polyunsaturated oil should be stored in a cool area, preferably the fridge, and it is neither tasteless nor colorless, making it great for sauces and dressings.

Safflower Plant

The safflower plant is a beautiful plant that can be found in a spectrum of colors from bright yellow, to orange, to dark red. It can be found in a stage when each flower contains both red and yellow flower pedals. This is my personal favorite stage.   Safflower has been traced all the way back to having an effect on ancient Egyptians. They used safflower as a dye. It has the ability to survive in a climate that is very dry, but it has difficulty surviving through cold weather with frosts. For this reason safflower has become very popular throughout the Great Plains. It is found most commonly in the United States in North Dakota and South Dakota, but it is also popularly grown in Montana. Safflower is mainly cultivated for  its seeds, producing dye, producing safflower oil.
Safflower oil has much in common with other oils such as sunflower oil. One specific use of safflower oil is in margarine.  It can also be used as a nutritional supplement. It can be mixed into many different sauces or dressing because it has no taste or color.
Safflower seeds are also a major reason the safflower plant is cultivated.  Each flower usually contains about 15-20 seeds. Safflower seeds are even often used as bird seed, because squirrels will not eat it.