Saffron Crocus: How to Grow the Flower That's Behind the Most Expensive Spice in the World

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If you do a search for the top ten most expensive spices, you’ll find a varied list. However there is one spice that is always at the top of that list: saffron.

Saffron spice is made by collecting the stigmas, also called threads, of the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus), drying them, then grinding them into a powder. There are three stigmas in each flower, and it takes about 75,000 to make a pound. That pound could cost you around $1,500.

Above: A field of saffron crocus. Photograph by Shellie via Flickr.

Or you can buy about 30 bulbs for less than $20, plant them, and grind your own saffron. Before you start dreaming of riches, know that you’ll need 167 flowers, with three stigmas each, to make just one gram of dried saffron. You’re not going to get rich planting a patch of saffron crocus, but you will have some pretty fall flowers and be able to make a few batches of saffron rice with your harvest! Not to mention the satisfaction that you grew the most expensive spice in the world in your own backyard.

Here’s what you need to know about growing saffron crocus in your garden.

Cheat Sheet:

Above: Above: Gardenista contributor Marie Viljoen planted 50 fall-blooming saffron crocuses, “enough for a couple of very good bouillabaisses and a risotto,” she writes in February To-Do: 10 Flowers and Ferns to Preorder Now. Photograph via Dutch-Grown.

Crocus sativus is a perennial and part of the iris family. It grows up to 4-inches tall from corms and produces small lilac flowers with bright orange stigmas.
It blooms in September and October; its also known as “autumn crocus and “fall flowering crocus.”
It has poisonous lookalikes in the lily family; Colchicum autumnale is highly toxic and can be fatal if eaten. Only harvest stigmas from saffron corms you planted yourself.
The saffron crocus is believed to originate in the Mediterranean. There are some that think Greece may be the place (crocus comes from the Greek word krokus), and others believe that it’s the near east, in what was Persia.
It is now cultivated in many parts of the world, with Spain, Italy, Iran, and India being the top producers.

Keep It Alive:

Above: Plant this side down. This is the base of the corm. Photograph by Joy Yagid.

In the US, saffron does best in zones 6-8.
Plant it 2- to 4-inches deep in late summer or early fall, in fertile, well-draining soil. Flat side is the bottom of the corm and the pointy side is the top. Fertilize in the spring with a mix for bulbs.
It likes full sun. It does best in locations with dry summers, but does need water during the growing season.
To propagate, divide the corms every three to four years, as the flowers are sterile.
To harvest, using tweezers, pick out only the deep orange stigmas and place on paper towels in a warm, dark, and dry place. Store in an airtight container when dried.
Saffron crocuses have few pests, but squirrels do like the corms. Consider planting the corms within a hardware cloth box if you are concerned.