Crocus sativus / Saffron 4 bulbs

Herbaceous plant bulbous. 10 to 25cm in height. Leaves long, linear and almost cylindrical (6 to 10 sheets each bulb). The flower (up to 30cm.) Consists of 6 petals are purple, flowering occurs in autumn and lasts about 20 days. Saffron consists of the stigma that may be attached or not the style of the flower, the color ranges from yellow, orange or red and are 3 to 4 cm. and dried about 2cm.

Features:

• It requires an extreme climate (high temperatures and dry in summer and cold in winter).
• Requires that the land is dry, calcareous, airy, flat and without trees.
• It has to be exposed to the sun.
• It is not picky about water, though good in spring water it a bit (to encourage reproduction) and autumn (for flowering), there has to be wet soil but moist.

Uses:

Used as a spice call it the "red gold" because of its high price. It tastes a little bitter. Gives a yellowish color to foods. Some foods where saffron is used are: paella, cassoulet, the risotto, the authentic Arabic coffee.

Cultivation:

It reproduces by bulbs that are planted during the months of June at november. They are planted in trenches and holes are about 20 cm. deep and with a spacing of 10cm. between bulb and bulb. Every year there are two or three base bulbs main bulb is collected and used for replanting.

+ info about Saffron