Gro 'n Sell
Carthamus
Fresh or dried, Safflower is an underused summer star. They add color and bulk to bouquets and can be field grown in most climates.
These varieties are quite similar. Zanzibar is a bit deeper orange in color than Kinko and has a slightly bigger flower.
Kinko is the better choice outdoor field production whereas Zanzibar is the better choice for tunnel or greenhouse production.
Ice Cream can be grown in a tunnel or outdoors and can be harvested at an earlier stage than the orange varieties.
About Tray Sizes (please read)
210 and 125 cell trays are full-sized trays, and three of these will fit in a shipping box.
50 cell trays are half-sized trays (unless otherwise noted) and two of these are the equivalent of one full sized tray. Six of these will fit in a shipping box. These trays are long and skinny. (Think hotdogs). There are not compatible with 25 cell half trays. Scoop scabiosa, veronica, solidago, gypsophila, hypericum, herbs, some tweedia, and others are grown in the 50 cell tray.
25 cell half trays are also half-sized trays, but they are short and square. (Think hamburgers). These are not compatible with 50 cell half trays. Limonium and astrantia are grown in this tray.
Gerberas are also grown in a 25 cell half tray, but are tall that the others, and FOUR of these half trays of gerberas fills a box.
18 and 32 cell trays are full sized trays specifically for our vernalized perennials. These have their own set of shipping rules (find details HERE) and cannot be combined with items grown in 210, 125, or 50 cell trays.
Growing Guides
Click here to access all of our comprehensive growing guides.
| Common Name | Safflower |
| Genus | Carthamus |
| Species | Carthamus tinctorius |
| Family | Asteraceae |
| Life Cycle | Annual |
| Format | 125-cell plug tray |
| Plug Care | Harden off and plant plugs promptly after arrival. Keep substrate evenly moist (not waterlogged) until roots establish. Avoid large fluctuations in moisture as this will stress the seedlings out. |
| Netting / Staking | Support isn't necessary in all situations, but could be beneficial especially in windy areas. A light form of support such as a single layer of Hortonova netting is a good option - install early, before plants begin to branch. |
| Temperature Range | Carthamus can be treated as a half hardy annual, with the first planting put in the ground a few weeks before your last frost. This is a great plant for successions if you want it throughout the growing season. It can handle cooler temperatures in early spring and will continue to perform well into the heat of the summer. Ideal temperature is 70-75F through the day and 60F at night. |
| Spacing | Space plants about 6 to 9 inches between plants in rows (rows should be about 12 inches apart) to allow air circulation and branching. When grown in higher temperatures and more intense light (middle of summer) you will likely get less side branching and the plants can be planted more densely. If planting early in the season in cooler temperatures, you can expect more substantial plants with greater side branching. |
| Soil Preference | Prefers fertile, well-drained soils (loam, sandy loam) with good aeration. Avoid heavy, waterlogged soils. Will tolerate most average soils very well. |
| Day Length | Long-day flowering plants, however extremely long day lengths (16-18 hours) will accelerate flowering but with shorter stems and less side shoots. Temperature can also affect flowering - high temperatures will make the plants flower more quickly. |
| Pinching | Pinching not necessary. The central stem will be the best quality cut. You can remove the first singular flower as it blooms (similarly to lisianthus) to harvest a stem with multiple open flowers/buds on shorter side branches. |
| When to Plant | As noted, Carthamus can be planted from early spring through to the end of summer for a continuous harvest. Plants will be larger and with more side branches when planted under cooler conditions/shorter days. Those planted in the height of the summer with flower more quickly, on slightly smaller plants. |
| Harvesting | Harvest stems when clusters of buds are in the early opening stages, with some florets showing color. Note that stems cut too early with no color showing may not continue to open in the vase. For dried use, allow flowers to open fully before cutting. Because Carthamus is a one-and-done crop and it does not produce additional flushes after cutting, plan one major harvest per planting. |
| Post Harvest Care | Cut stems should immediately be placed into a bucket of cool, clean water - the use of a floral preservative has shown to increase vase life. Hydrate in a cooler before use - as with all cut flowers avoid sun, warm temperatures and ethylene exposure to maximize flower longevity. You can expect a vase life of 1-2 weeks for this crop. |
| Diseases / Insects | Watch for common pests such as aphids, thrips and leaf miners. Avoid prolonged periods of wet foliage and saturated soil or fungal issues like Botrytis or Colletotrichum carthami (Anthracnose) may occur. |
| Bailey's Notes | Safflower is often used in bird seed mixes or animal feed - if left to go to seed in the field you can expect any number of birds or small mammals to come enjoy the seeds. They also come in a variety of colors from the classic orange, to white to yellow. Zanzibar is the classic cut flower option because it's nearly spineless making harvesting easier. Kinko is also considered a professional cut flower variety due to its strong stems and uniformity between plants. |
| Resources | NA |