Safflower vs. Saffron

Safflower, Carthamus tinctorius, is a highly branched, herbaceous, thistle-like annual plant. It is commercially cultivated for vegetable oil extracted from the seeds and was used by the early Spanish colonies along the Rio Grande as a substitute for saffron.

Saffron (pronounced or ) is a spice derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, commonly known as the "saffron crocus". The vivid crimson stigma and styles, called threads, are collected and dried for use mainly as a seasoning and colouring agent in food.

A thistlelike Eurasian plant (Carthamus tinctorius) in the composite family, having orange flowers that produce seeds containing an oil used for cooking and in food products, cosmetics, and paints.

A corm-producing plant (Crocus sativus) native to the eastern Mediterranean region, having purple or white flowers with orange stigmas.

The dried flowers of this plant, formerly used as a source of yellow and orange dyes.

The dried aromatic stigmas of this plant, used to color foods and as a cooking spice and dyestuff.

A cultivated thistle-like plant, Carthamus tinctorius, family Asteraceae, now grown mainly for its oil.

A moderate or strong orange yellow to moderate orange.

An annual composite plant (Carthamus tinctorius), the flowers of which are used as a dyestuff and in making rouge; bastard, or false, saffron.

The plant Crocus sativus, a crocus.

The dried flowers of the Carthamus tinctorius.

A spice (seasoning) and colouring agent made from the stigma and part of the style of the plant, sometimes or formerly also used as a dye and insect repellent.

A dyestuff from these flowers. See Safranin (b).

An orange-yellow colour, the colour of a lion's pelt.

thistlelike Eurasian plant widely grown for its red or orange flower heads and seeds that yield a valuable oil

Having an orange-yellow colour.

To add saffron to (a food), for taste, colour etc.

To give a saffron colour to (something).

To dye (a fabric, garment, etc.) with a saffron-based dye.

To colour (a metal or wooden surface) with a gilding product containing saffron.

(figuratively) To embellish.

A bulbous iridaceous plant (Crocus sativus) having blue flowers with large yellow stigmas. See Crocus.

The aromatic, pungent, dried stigmas, usually with part of the stile, of the Crocus sativus. Saffron is used in cookery, and in coloring confectionery, liquors, varnishes, etc., and was formerly much used in medicine.

An orange or deep yellow color, like that of the stigmas of the Crocus sativus.

Having the color of the stigmas of saffron flowers; deep orange-yellow; as, a saffron face; a saffron streamer.

To give color and flavor to, as by means of saffron; to spice.

Old World crocus having purple or white flowers with aromatic pungent orange stigmas used in flavoring food

dried pungent stigmas of the Old World saffron crocus

a shade of yellow tinged with orange