How to Grow and Harvest Saffron at Home

A fall-blooming perennial, saffron crocus grows easily and multiplies readily when planted in the right place.

Choose a spot in your garden with the following conditions:

• Light: Full to part sun
• Soil: Moist, well-draining, loamy soil with neutral to slightly alkaline pH. Avoid planting in overly wet sites, as standing water can cause rot in the corms.
• Planting depth: 3 inches
• Spacing: Plant corms 3 inches apart
• Location: Grows well in raised beds, containers, and in-ground gardens
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 6 to 9 (but can be grown and dug up for winter storage in colder zones)

Once you’ve selected the best garden space to grow saffron, planting is simple.

1. Choose large, firm corms.
2. In late summer, dig holes at least 3 inches deep and 3 inches apart. A ProPlugger or Easy Dig Gardener Started Bundle makes quick work of digging holes.
3. Place one corm with the pointed end up in each hole.
4. Cover the hole with soil.
5. Water well after planting, then about once per week. (Rainfall is typically adequate.)
6. Thin, straight, green foliage should appear in 6 to 8 weeks, followed by flowers.

Harvesting saffron is simple, although a little time-consuming. Once the flowers bloom:

1. Harvest mid-morning when the flowers are fully open and the dew has dried.
2. Line a tray with parchment paper and take it into the garden to collect the harvest.
3.  Look for the three red stigmas within the newly opened, cup-shaped flower.
4. Using tweezers or your fingers, carefully remove the three threads, pulling the stigmas from the center of the flower. Place on the tray.
5. Use the saffron fresh, or air-dry it on the tray for several days inside in a warm, dark space. (Sun can degrade the flavor.) Make sure it’s fully dried before placing in an airtight container. Store in a cool, dark space. Saffron can last two to three years if stored properly.

Like other bulbs and corms, leave the leaves—the grasslike blades of the crocus—to absorb sun and produce energy for the corm. The flowers bloom for about three weeks, while the leaves will remain for 8 to 12 weeks.

While saffron crocus is perennial in USDA zones 6 to 9, it appreciates a layer of mulch to protect it from the cold and preserve soil moisture. In colder zones, consider planting saffron crocus in containers to bring indoors for the winter. Container planting is also a good option if critters enjoy snacking in your garden.

With proper care, saffron crocus naturalizes readily. While the original corm will produce flowers for 3 to 5 years, new corms will grow along the original. Dividing the corms every 3 to 5 years is essential for long-term health.

To divide corms:

1. Divide saffron crocus in late summer, while bulbs are dormant.
2. Cut back dried foliage to soil level.
3. Insert a garden fork or spade about 3 inches away from the corms and 8 inches deep, lifting the clump of corms.
4. Remove the new corms from the parent, central corm.
5. Inspect the corms for damage or disease.
6. Replant healthy corms. Discard the original corm.
7. Although a low-maintenance plant, saffron crocus can benefit from a balanced fertilizer.

There’s a reason saffron is known as the “World’s Most Expensive Spice.” Not only does saffron add a highly coveted, unique flavor and color to recipes, it’s also incredibly labor-intensive to harvest. Each flower produces three red stigmas—the source of the spice—which must be harvested by hand when the flower blooms. And while it’s easy for a home gardener to harvest saffron for personal use, commercial saffron growers need to recoup the labor expense of harvesting thousands—even millions—stigma by hand. It takes approximately 75,000 flowers to produce one pound of saffron spice.

And saffron’s mythic history also lends to its exclusivity—and price tag. Found in writings since ancient times, the spice was considered extremely valuable both as a medicine and a dye. The dye is still used in marriage ceremonies in India. Some scholars believe Ancient Greece is the country of origin, as the first known images of saffron were found on Minoan pots and frescoes dating to the 8th century BCE. Whether or not Greece was the birthplace of saffron, the plant has roots in Mediterranean regions, southeast Asia, and Persia (now Iran). The spice was considered so valuable it was used as a medium of exchange.

Saffron is known for a floral, earthy, slightly sweet flavor with a hint of underlying bitterness. Highly aromatic, the spice produces a honey-like fragrance. But one of its biggest perks is the vibrant yellow color saffron infuses into dishes. Saffron is used in both sweet and savory recipes, such as paella, risotto, biryani, bouillabaisse, tagines, breads and pastries, milk puddings and ice creams, as well as tea. It also pairs well with meats. But use caution: only a pinch is necessary. Too much saffron can make a dish taste bitter.