Tibetan Saffron

Tibetan Saffron

Tibetan Saffron is a protected geographical indication product.

　　Carthamus tinctorius L, also known as safflower, is originally from Egypt but has also been cultivated for a long time in countries such as Pakistan and India.

　　Safflower can be used medicinally to promote blood circulation and unblock meridians. The seeds of Carthamus tinctorius contain up to 55.38% oil, and long-term consumption of this oil can reduce cholesterol levels in the blood and prevent arteriosclerosis. Therefore, it can be used to treat coronary heart disease; since the linolenic acid content in safflower oil is very low, it is also a good raw material for making paint. Carthamus tinctorius can be extensively cultivated in eastern, southeastern, and southern Tibet, and has great potential for development.

　　Crocus sativus L, also known as saffron or Spanish saffron, is originally from Spain and also has a long cultivation history in countries such as Iran and Saudi Arabia. Abroad, it was initially cultivated only as a dye, but later it was recognized as a valuable medicinal herb that promotes blood circulation, unblocks meridians, removes blood stasis, and relieves pain. Medically, it is commonly used to treat amenorrhea caused by blood stasis, as well as pain in the chest, abdomen, hypochondrium, and ribs. It is also used to treat wounds and swelling, especially since its blood-nourishing function has long been renowned worldwide. Because of this, saffron was introduced to China as early as the Ming Dynasty and is listed as a medicinal substance in the "Compendium of Materia Medica." Of course, in terms of its blood-nourishing properties, it far surpasses Carthamus tinctorius.

　　The names Carthamus tinctorius and Crocus sativus differ by only one character, so they are often mistakenly thought to be the same thing under different names. Some people even regard the Carthamus tinctorius, which has long been cultivated in Tibet, as saffron. In fact, these are two completely different plants. Carthamus tinctorius is an annual herbaceous plant from the Asteraceae family of the dicotyledon class, growing to about 1 meter in height, with each tubular flower in the capitulum being orange-red. Saffron, on the other hand, is a perennial herbaceous plant from the Iridaceae family of the monocotyledon class, with a bulbous base and flowers that are pale purple or purplish-red. Although they share similar functions in promoting blood circulation and unblocking meridians, they differ greatly in systematic evolution, morphological development, and other uses.