Wilder Saffron

One of the plants I was super excited to get my hands on this year was Crocus Cartwrightianus, otherwise known as Cartwright’s crocus or wild saffron. It’s widely accepted as the wild ancestor of our modern saffron, before it mutated into the sterile triploid form (propagated only by corm division).

I got this because I absolutely love how beautiful the all white variety (‘albus’) is, not that I would like to use it for the spice itself (the flavor is not as strong as the domesticated saffron but can be used in the same way.)

Since it is diploid, it will set seed if pollinated, but due to the fact that it comes out so late in the year, (it is also an autumn crocus) most insects will have died off/gone dormant so hand pollination is preferred.

Evidently, it is possible to cross cartwrightianus with sativus to produce viable seeds, and that may be an experiment in my future.

It’s growth habits is identical to Crocus sativus, coming out in late fall, needing full sun, well drained soil, and not watered too much. A relatively easy plant to grow and it looks divine against the dark brown leaves that have fallen from the trees.