September to October. It is a minor crop today, about 600,000 tons being produced commercially in more than sixty countries worldwide. There are two parts of the plant which can be used; the pale seeds and the red florets. Traditionally, this plant was used for coloring and flavoring foods, medicines, and making red and yellow dyes. In China, this herb is traditionally used to treat coronary disease, thrombotic disorders and menstrual problems. For the last fifty years, the plant has been cultivated for the oil extracted from its seeds for cooking oil, salad dressing and for the production of margarine. Today this crop supplies oil, meal and birdseed