Safflower Bud

Just before the safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) begins to open, the flower bud has a wonderfully sculptural appearance. Tight green bracts overlap in neat layers, their pointed tips giving the bud an almost armored look while protecting the developing bloom within. At this stage, only the faintest hint of the vivid orange or yellow flowers to come is visible. It is a quiet moment in the plant’s life cycle—the bud still closed and compact, but clearly on the verge of unfolding into the bright, thistle-like flower for which safflower is known.