What are the producing areas of safflower?

Safflower is a plant of Compositae of Platycodon grandiflorum, which can dissipate blood stasis and relieve pain, activate blood circulation and remove blood stasis, and is often used as medicine to treat diseases. Where is the origin of safflower?

First, the origin of safflower

Carthamus tinctorius is native to Europe and Central Asia. Safflower is mainly produced in Xinjiang, Yunnan, Gansu, Henan, Hunan, Sichuan, Xizang and other places.

II. Situation of safflower producing areas in China

The largest producing area is Xinjiang: after more than 20 years of development, Xinjiang has developed into the largest producing area of safflower in China. At the peak around 2010, the planting area of safflower in Xinjiang reached more than 700,000 mu. After the adjustment and reduction, the share of production capacity will still reach more than 75% by 2016, and the output will be more than 4500 tons.

The second largest producing area is Yunnan, where the new birth period is the earliest and can be picked around March every year. It is mainly concentrated in Yongsheng County of Lijiang; Weishan Yi Hui Autonomous County, Binchuan County and Midu County of Dali Autonomous Prefecture; Lushui County of Nujiang Autonomous Prefecture; Zhenkang County of Lincang City; and Chuxiong City, with an output of 800-900 tons in 2016.

The third producing area is located in Guazhou, around Huahai Town, Yumen, Gansu Province: the local safflower production in 2016 was about 500 tons. But the flowers are broken and dark in color.

Scattered producing areas include Sichuan safflower producing areas in Sichuan, located in Nanchong, Bazhong and other places, as well as Ningxia, Henan and Anhui provinces. At present, these mainland producing areas have basically disappeared due to the lack of competitiveness in production, land and labor costs.

Physiological characteristics of Carthamus tinctorius

Herbs annual, ca. 30~100cm. Stem erect, much branched distally. Leaves long elliptic, apex acute, sessile, base clasping, margin pinnatifid, tooth tip prickly, both surfaces glabrous; upper leaves smaller, bractelike around inflorescences. Inflorescences terminal, arranged corymbose; involucral bracts several-layered, outer green, ovate-lanceolate, margin prickly, inner layer ovate-elliptic, white, membranous; all tubular flowers, initially yellow, later turning orange-red; achenes elliptic, ca. 5mm, without crown hairs, or scalelike. Annual herbs, flowering from May to July, fruiting from July to September, 30-90 cm high, leaves alternate, ovate or lanceolate, hard, both sides smooth glabrous, margin spiny teeth, head, all hermaphroditic tubular flowers, Corolla orange-red.

There is only an one-word difference between saffron and saffron, but they do not refer to the same plant. Make no mistake when you buy in the market.