Here in the Piedmont of North Carolina, winter rages on. Well, "rage" is certainly overstating it, but winter certainly has not ended. And why would we expect it to? It's only mid-March. The past few winters have been warmer than normal, but that certainly doesn't make the winter of 2013-14 colder than normal. It does, however, make me that much more anxious for spring to come - and stay. As if to serve as a reminder that winter is indeed a temporary season, the last week of February brought the first flowers of spring!
Crocus
Tucked away underneath my Japanese Maple (for some reason) is a tiny clump of tiny Crocus. (I'm calling these straight-up Crocus, since I'm unsure of their exact species or cultivar) A beacon of color among the brown, they're like little purple lollipops in a land without candy. Or something.
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| They look straight-up edible, don't they? |
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| Admit it: You're smiling. |
Being one of the earliest flowers to bloom in late winter, you'd be forgiven for worrying that they are damaged by cold or frost. Crocus are more than able to handle a little bit of chill. In addition to being tough little flowers, they belong to a special group of plants in the world that exhibit nyctinasty.
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| Nyctinasty in action |
"Nic-wha?" Nyctinasty. Funny, unpronounceable name, cool feature. See, plants which possess this trait seem to respond to certain environmental stimuli; in this case, the flowers of Crocus will fold up at nighttime and during extreme cold. Nobody really knows why this is, but one of the popular theories is that the plant does this to protect and preserve the pollen for warmer days when pollinating insects are more likely to do their thing and help the plant reproduce. Neat, huh?
Vital statistics:
Botanical Name: Crocus (70+ different species)Common Name: Crocus
Native to: Europe, Asia, North Africa, China, others; all depends on the species
Cold Hardy to: Zone 3
Heat Tolerant to: Zone 8-9, guessing (they need about 3 months of cold to initiate flowering)
Flowers: Showy purple or yellow, blooming either in early spring or autumn depending on species.
Size: Usually shorter than 4-6". Some remain in small clumps, others can naturalize like a ground cover
Where to buy: Purchase and plant spring-flowering bulbs in the fall; and fall-flowering bulbs in the spring. Keep an eye out for pots of forced Crocus in the houseplant section in early spring. Once those flowers fade it's a great way to snag a lot of bulbs at clearance price!
Where to buy: Purchase and plant spring-flowering bulbs in the fall; and fall-flowering bulbs in the spring. Keep an eye out for pots of forced Crocus in the houseplant section in early spring. Once those flowers fade it's a great way to snag a lot of bulbs at clearance price!
Plant Crocus near a pathway where it is easy to see despite its diminutive stature. Do not plant underneath cascading trees. It's not smart. (I know. I did it)
What does Crocus have to do with Saffron? Everything! While it's true that most herbs and spices come from the dried foliage and even bark of certain plants, what would you say if I told you that saffron came from the parts of a Crocus flower?
Bonus: Saffron? (Crocus sativus)
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| Picture found at a blog post on All Things Edible |
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| http://images.whiteflowerfarm.com/910891a.jpg |
For more reading, consult:
General information -
http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/harvesting-saffron-crocus.html
http://kopiaste.org/2009/11/krokos-kozanis-crocus-or-zafora-greek-saffron-ryzogalo/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crocus_sativus
For some pretty cool photos of Crocus fields and manual processing:
http://buypuresaffron.blogspot.com/2010/11/growing-saffron.html
And if you'd like some Crocus sativus to grow and collect your own saffron:
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