Finally Ordered My Saffron Crocus

[vfem]

I found a pack of 25 bulbs for $15.95 and they will ship between Aug and Sept. So I'm excited. I've been wanting to buy these for 2 years now.

 

[cwhit590]

Sweet! Let us know how things go....

Were they hard to find or is availability just really low?

Will they grow anywhere other crocuses can grow?

 

[patandchickens]

I wouldn't bother trying them in Michigan unless you don't mind failing. I'd be shocked if they'd grow for you. They are not as hardy as most crocuses AND need a very hot and dry *rather long* summer.

For whatever it's worth, I tried them here in front of my hot S-facing heat-trap house wall, where I have had some other plants with similar cultural requirements make it ok, and the saffron crocuses vanished forever.

You can't get much in the way of saffron from them anyhow... what vfem has ordered would make maybe 2 recipes' worth of anything, and of the several people (including my mom and sister) who I've known who've grown them and harvested the stamens and tried to use them in the kitchen, I have yet to meet someone who succeeded in producing a palatable "saffron-like" result.

Sorry to sound negative, but they are not a practical plant (at least not in the North) and if you just want the LOOK of them, I highly recommend the common autumn crocus C. speciosus as a similar-but-more-attractive and very easy-to-grow alternative.

JME, good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[cwhit590]

Yeah, I'm not planning on growing them....just curious!

I've read about the saffron harvest in Spain and all...but never knew what the crocuses liked as far as growing conditions...

 

[hoodat]

Sounds like San Diego would be an ideal climate. I thought about them a few times but it takes so many bulbs to produce just a smidgen of safron.

 

[vfem]

I don't mind a smidge for myself. I am going to mix these in around my crepe myrtle tree where I plan to keep other herbs. I'm sure in the south the flavors will be worth some of my time at least... I don't cook with it often, but I like the idea I grew it myself! I also only have a family of 3, so my recipes are usually small, and I cut back for our smaller group.

Either way, Like Pat said, I don't think they would do well in colder climates.

When they come I will plant them and let everyone know how they work out for me.

 

[patandchickens]

I *wish* I could grow them (and in a condition fit to produce usable saffron), because all my mothers' old passed-down-in-the-family recipes are Pennsylvania Dutch (specifically Moravian) and for some reason which I no longer really recollect they made quite a lot of use of saffron, with the result that a lot of the recipes are not going to be made, by me, as written Sigh.

BTW for ornamental purposes I can't highly-enough recommend the NON-saffron, regular-ol autumn crocus C. speciosus (at least in the North, have never grown it in the South)... super easy and beautiful.

Pat

 

[vfem]

These are purely functional for me, I got enough ornamental going on here!

I do think the punch of purple creeping up in my herb bed will really look nice no matter the quality of the flower. The fact its a functional bed is great. I also think it will help that the bed will be raised for a better dryer affect on the bulbs themself.

I was wondering if like other bulbs, they would need splitting every couple of years in the spring?

 

[patandchickens]

Other spring and fall crocus don't need dividing (although you can certainly do so if you want to propagate them), so I shouldn't *think* saffron crocus would either, although this is theory not experience.

Pat

 

[hoodat]

I *wish* I could grow them (and in a condition fit to produce usable saffron), because all my mothers' old passed-down-in-the-family recipes are Pennsylvania Dutch (specifically Moravian) and for some reason which I no longer really recollect they made quite a lot of use of saffron, with the result that a lot of the recipes are not going to be made, by me, as written Sigh.

BTW for ornamental purposes I can't highly-enough recommend the NON-saffron, regular-ol autumn crocus C. speciosus (at least in the North, have never grown it in the South)... super easy and beautiful.

Pat

You can duplicate the color but not the flavor by using dried pot marigold petals. that's where the pot part of the name comes from. They were often used for cooking once upon a time.