Safflower: Finch

What really sets safflower apart from all other species is its exceptionally deep taproot which has been observed to reach depths of 8-10 ft in ideal conditions. This deep taproot can break hard pans, encouraging water and air movement into the soil profile, as well as scavenge nutrients from depths unavailable to most agronomic crops. Safflower is an excellent crop to grow in a cereal crop rotation to successfully break common root disease issues such as take-all and crown rot. Incredibly safflower is one of few crops that are resistant to all root lesion nematodes. A spring planted safflower will flower around mid to late July for 2-3 weeks which provides flowers highly desirable to pollinator species. Farmers growing safflower commonly experience low pest pressure and notice an increase in beneficial organisms such as spiders, ladybugs and lacewings. Safflower forage is not only highly palatable and nutritious in young growth stages but was proven to increase fertility in grazing ewes.