Crocus sativus (Saffron)

Saffron Crocus Bulbs Grow the most expensive spice in the world! The Saffron Crocus Bulb is a beautiful autumn blooming Crocus (Crocus sativus). Saffron is the quintessential season for paella and other delicious Mediterranean dishes. Rich in taste, aroma and history, Saffron is the whole package in your garden. The Saffron flower is a Crocus variety that commands attention and throughout history that is exactly what it has done! The spice was very much sought after by the Ancient Greeks for its aroma, colour and health benefits. As early as 400 BC, Hippocrates was writing about how amazing Saffron was and even wrote about it being a ‘cure’ for coughs, colds, stomach aches, insomnia and heart problems! Famous for the rich yellow coloured powder that Saffron produces, it has been used as dye for clothing for centuries. A single gram of Saffron can dye roughly 40 litres of water, creating a distinctive yellow hue that has been used by buddhist monks for many years. In fact this is still the way they dye their K???ya’s. The Flower The Saffron Crocus produces purple flowers, delicately decorated with fine brush strokes of purple throughout the petals. The 3 pronged stigma protrudes from the centre with a striking crimson colour to contrast beautifully with the rest of the plant, making them really stand out amongst other flowers. The crimson stigmas are what is needed to create the most expensive spice in the world. However, you don’t have to harvest these stigmas. Keep them on the flower to enjoy the contrasting colour and the striking scent they produce.