Close-up of a purple Crocus sativus flower - meisam sharifnezhad/Shutterstock Despite their resemblance, most crocus species and lookalikes are inedible or outright ...

Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world — but did you know you can grow it right in your own backyard? With a little effort and patience, Marin home gardeners can cultivate Crocus sativus, ...

The little crocuses that flower before Christmas have been neglected, perhaps because everyone muddles them with the "autumn crocus" - the colchicums - which are a much coarser affair. Colchicums are ...

The origin of C. sativus has long been the subject of speculation and research, as this knowledge would enable breeders to introduce genetic diversity into the otherwise genetically uniform plant ...

As mid-November passes, the last purple drifts of saffron crocus ( Crocus sativus ) fade in the garden. But if you plant now, its cheerful color and habit will grace your garden next fall from ...

If you’re all about edibles these days, you might try planting saffron crocus this season. Not only is it the prettiest little fall flower you can imagine, each little red thread (stigma) plucked from ...

Crocus sativus has begun blooming at the Hongtai Vegetable and Fruit Cooperative located in Jiading New Town. The plant is best known for producing saffron, a type of spice made from filaments that ...

At a field outside Kozani, northern Greece, the strikingly blue-and-purple petals of saffron give off an intoxicating scent that underscores the value of one of the country's most lucrative crops.