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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

Q: I enjoy reading your columns, even though I live in a retirement community and have left all my lovely flowerbeds behind. But I’ve volunteered to maintain a bed here. These are my questions: When ...

Imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon a little white sign stuck into a 4-inch pot that read "Saffron crocus $2.50" at the booth at the . OK, first of all, these bulbs, especially already started, ...

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 ...