Herbs forum: Saffron
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OK, this is officially a spice and not an herb. But I made the rules, so I guess I can break them  For folks who don't know, saffron is actually a fall-blooming crocus. So it's not only delicious but also very beautiful to give some color in the garden at a time of year when most things are turning brown and going dormant. I just started my saffron last fall. It's not supposed to bloom the first year, but some of my plants did, so I got a small harvest just a few weeks after I planted the corms.  Here's one of my plants last fall. The long red threads are the saffron. It's so expensive in the store because it has to be harvested by hand, and labor is expensive for large-scale farms. But for the backyard gardener, it's a decidedly low-maintenance plant. They're dormant right now, and I should get my first full harvest this October. The plants look rather plain and grassy at the moment, but I know they're saving up their energy for the cute purple blossoms, so I can't hold it against them.  Has anyone else grown saffron? So far, I haven't met another gardener who does, which surprises me since it is so easy to grow and is so expensive to buy. The corms were pricier than most vegetable seeds, but I think they'll pay for themselves this year, and they divide so the yields go up over time. |
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| My plants have finally gone dormant. They look dead, so I have to keep reminding myself of how lovely they'll be when they wake up. Once they were totally yellow and dry I cut them back and put their container under an overhang so it won't get much rain to rot the corms over summer. I'm anxious already for the little green shoots to reappear in fall. Here they are just before their haircut (I've since transplanted the rogue dill):  |
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 I had never thought about how easy it would be to grow it ourselves. Thanks! |
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| I thought saffron was gathered from the stamen of a hibiscus flower. |
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