Safflowers

Botanical Name: Carthamus tinctorius
Common Names: American saffron, dyers' saffron, false saffron

Dried Safflower can be used in recipes in place of saffron as a much less expensive substitute (it is also known as "false saffron"). Bird lovers can also add the seed to their feeders, as the taste is unpalatable to squirrels and other small rodents. Safflower is among the oldest domesticated crops, dating back to Egypt's Twelfth Dynasty 3,800 - 4,000 years ago. Today, most of the world's safflower is grown in the U.S., Mexico and India.

Origin: China