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 ...

Amanda Blum is a freelancer who writes about smart home technology, gardening, and food preservation. Previously, Amanda has worked as a technology strategist specializing in problem solving and ...

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, ...

Gardeners on the hunt for something special, novel, exotic even, might consider growing saffron crocus for a personal supply of the expensive spice saffron. The spice saffron is produced by the ...

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 ...

DENVER — Saffron has been highly prized since ancient times. Cleopatra soaked in saffron bath water to dye her skin--an early precursor of the spray tan. More importantly, saffron is used in cooking ...

In November, one hardly expects to see much growing in the garden. It’s a time of year when color is fading fast, giving way to a landscape painted in earth tones. But there is a little flower, a very ...

Mention planting bulbs this time of year and most people have visions of springtime daffodils and tulips. But there are some bulbs that if planted in late summer, will bloom this fall. I don’t know ...

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 ...