Where are safflower producing areas? A complete overview of major production regions nationwide
Safflower is a plant of the order Asterales and the family Asteraceae. It can dissipate blood stasis and relieve pain, and invigorate blood circulation to remove blood stasis, and is mostly used as medicine for treating diseases. Where are the safflower producing areas?
1. Safflower producing areas
Safflower originated in Europe and Central Asia. In China, safflower producing areas are mainly in Xinjiang, Yunnan, Gansu, Henan, Hunan, Sichuan, Tibet and other places.
2. Domestic safflower production regions
The largest production region is Xinjiang: after more than 20 years of development, Xinjiang has grown into the largest safflower production region in the country. At its peak around 2010, the safflower planting area across Xinjiang reached more than 700,000 mu. After later reductions, by 2016 its share of production capacity still reached more than 75%, with output above 4,500 tons;
The second largest production region is Yunnan: this region has the earliest new harvest period, and picking can begin around March each year. It is mainly concentrated in Yongsheng County in Lijiang; Weishan Yi and Hui Autonomous County, Binchuan County and Midu County in Dali Autonomous Prefecture; Lushui County in Nujiang Autonomous Prefecture; Zhenkang County in Lincang City; and there is also a small distribution in Chuxiong City. In 2016, output was 800-900 tons.
The third production region is located around Huahai Town in Yumen, Gansu, and Guazhou: in 2016 local safflower output was about 500 tons. However, the flowers are relatively broken and dull in color.
Scattered production regions include: the Sichuan safflower production region, located in Nanchong, Bazhong and other places, as well as Ningxia, Henan and Anhui and other places. Due to a lack of competitiveness in output, land and labor costs, these inland production regions have basically disappeared at present.
3. Physiological characteristics of safflower
Annual herb, about 30-100 cm tall. Stem erect, upper part much branched. Leaves oblong, apex acute, sessile, base clasping the stem, margin pinnately toothed and cleft, tooth tips with sharp spines, both surfaces hairless; upper leaves smaller, forming bract-like structures surrounding the capitulum. Capitulum terminal, arranged in corymbs; involucral bracts in several layers, outer layer green, ovate-lanceolate, margin with sharp spines, inner layer ovate-elliptic, white, membranous; all are tubular flowers, yellow when first opening, later turning orange-red; achene elliptic, about 5 mm long, without pappus, or scale-like. Annual herb, flowering period May-July, fruiting period July-September, 30-90 cm tall, leaves alternate, ovate or lanceolate, hard in texture, both surfaces smooth and hairless, margin with spiny teeth, capitulum, all bisexual tubular flowers, corolla orange-red.
Safflower and saffron differ by only one character, but the two do not refer to the same plant. Everyone should not make a mistake when buying them on the market.