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Safflower (Kusum)

Safflower (Kusum)

Carthamus tinctorius

Medium difficultyRabi
☀️
Sunlight
Full Sun
💧
Watering
Low — drought tolerant
🪴
Min pot size
24" pot
🌱
Start from
Direct sow seeds in fields during autumn (Oct-Nov)

About Safflower (Kusum)

A deeply tap-rooted, highly drought-resistant Rabi oilseed crop. Produces beautiful thistle-like yellow/red flowers. Strictly a field crop, not suitable for terrace pots.

Climate requirements

Ideal temperature
15–25°C
Heat stress above
35°C
Cold stress below
0°C
Humidity
Low (20–50%)
Rain sensitivity
High

Growth stages

Stage 1
Germination
Day 0–10
Stage 2
Seedling
Day 11–30
Stage 3
Vegetative
Day 31–70
Stage 4
Flowering
Day 71–100
Stage 5
Maturation
Day 101–130
Stage 6
Harvest
Day 131–150

Common pests and diseases

Watch out for these on your Safflower (Kusum). Upload a photo for AI diagnosis →

Treatment solutions for each pest are available on Pro Plus AI — includes AI photo diagnosis, detailed treatment steps, and product recommendations.

Get a personalised schedule for Safflower (Kusum)

Enter your city, pot count, and sowing date — the Crop Planner builds a day-by-day care calendar with watering reminders, fertiliser timing, and harvest windows.

Build my crop schedule — ₹199

New to terrace gardening? Read the complete India terrace farming guide →

Spot a problem?

Photo-based AI diagnosis identifies diseases, pests, and nutrient deficiencies on your Safflower (Kusum) within seconds.

AI Plant Doctor →Pro Plus AI

Ask an agronomist

Get crop-specific advice from an expert — soil prep, disease treatment, yield improvement.

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