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 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 ...

Saffron, a spice derived from the Crocus sativus flower, is most commonly associated with Asia and the Middle East. But saffron crocus thrive around the Mediterranean, including Italy, where they ...

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 ...

In the latest news from the garden, I am harvesting the stigmas from the Crocus sativus that I planted at the end of the summer growing season to provide fall color for my herb garden and saffron for ...

If you're looking for a quick 30-minute meal, you will have to look elsewhere. This Chicken Tahchin recipe may be time-consuming, but it is a very special dish often made for parties and notable ...

For almost 100 years, there has been controversy as to the possible parent species of the saffron crocus are. If the parent species were known, changes could be inserted into the crocus genome by new ...

Warm sunlight slanting through the French doors onto the oak kitchen table lit up the morning after autumn’s first light frost blackened the tips of impatiens leaves, with remaining flowers still ...

Crocus sativus, the saffron crocus, produces its deep-purple flowers in autumn. The petals protect the stigma inside, from which, when dried, saffron is collected. However, it needs 4,000 flowers to ...

Recently there has been increasing research interest in the use of saffron (Crocus sativus) to treat a range of mental health problems such as depressed mood, Alzheimer's disease, and anxiety.