Growing saffron is surprisingly easy, and saffron readily grows in zones 6 and above without issue. With a bit of care and attention, you can also learn how to grow saffron in zones 3-5 as well!
The spice saffron comes from the red thread-like stigmas of the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus). Each flower only produces a few tiny threads, which when dried weigh almost nothing. Those tiny threads are incredibly flavorful, and there’s a reason that saffron is the world’s most expensive spice.
It takes about 150 flowers to yield just a single gram of dried saffron, and a whole field may only produce a pound or two in a season. Now you understand how the bright red stigmas of this tiny purple flower can sell for as much as $10,000 per pound…
The thing is, no one really needs a pound of saffron. Recipes are flavored with a few threads or a tiny pinch of this powerful spice.
Growing saffron at home is incredibly satisfying, and all you need is a small patch to supply your family with the freshest, most flavorful saffron imaginable.
Where to Buy Saffron Bulbs
It’s important to note that saffron crocus is not the regular spring-blooming crocus. You need a special variety, known as Crocus sativus. You cannot just harvest parts of normal spring-blooming crocus or even parts of just any old autumn crocus.
Saffron crocus is a specific strain, and you should not consume any of the others.
Some nursery centers carry saffron bulbs, but we’ve ordered them in the past from both Fedco seeds and Renee’s Garden Seeds. They’re also incredibly inexpensive on amazon.
How to Grow Saffron
Unlike common spring crocus flowers, Saffron crocus are fall blooming. The plants are native to a Mediterranean climate, and they go dormant during the summer to survive dry arid conditions. The bulbs sprout greenery in the early fall, before putting on a showy display of late fall purple flowers.
A summer dormancy period means that the bulbs are usually dug at producers in mid-summer, and shipped for late summer planting. I received my saffron bulbs in late summer and planted them on September 1st.
Early September is a little late here in Vermont, where the autumn season is often cut short by early snow, but it was still plenty of time to harvest some homegrown saffron.
Start by planting the saffron bulbs in sandy, well-drained soil that’s moderately rich in organic material. Our soils are clay-filled and wet, so I built a raised bed for growing saffron. The soil is made up of sand (harvested from the edge of our pond), combined with compost and a bit of peat moss.
The saffron thrived in that light growing medium.
Plant saffron bulbs 3-4 inches deep, and 3-4 inches apart. The deep depth is important, as the bulbs will multiply by growing new bulbs above the old ones. If they’re planted to shallow there won’t be enough space for next year’s bulb to develop.
A few weeks after planting, the first thin grassy foliage will appear….
After the foliage is established, the saffron crocus bulbs will send up numerous pale purple flowers. It’s kind of impressive how many flowers a single bulb can put out in a year, and even though they’re planted quite a ways apart, each bulb will put out a big cluster of saffron flowers.
It takes 5-8 weeks from planting for the first flowers to appear, but once they get started the flowers keep coming steadily for about 3 weeks. The prolific nature of the bulbs is important since each one only produces a few saffron threads.
The saffron plants will only be visible for a brief fall growing season, and after a few months, they’ll go dormant again until the following fall. There will be no trace of them whatsoever until that point.
It’s important to carefully mark the location of your saffron bulbs so you don’t accidentally dig them while they’re dormant through the late winter, spring and summer season. Our saffron bulbs are in a purpose-built bed, and it’d devoted to growing saffron so that makes it easy.
Propagating Saffron Bulbs
Saffron naturally multiplies beneath the soil, and new bulbs will develop atop the original bulb. They’ll keep growing up toward the surface until they’re just too shallow to stay healthy year-round. It’s important that they stay deep to weather dry summer conditions or cold winter weather.
Every 4-6 years, dig up the saffron bulbs and break apart the older bulbs from the newly developed bulbs. Replant them all as you originally did, 3-4 inches deep and 3-4 inches apart. This will help avoid overcrowding and keep the saffron growing deep in the soil where it’s protected.
Growing Saffron in Cold Climates
Saffron plants can handle mild frosts and continue growing in the fall. That’s essential here in Vermont where early snows begin right as blooming is just getting started. We’ll have 20 degree nights and snow flurries right in their peak bloom season.
For the most part, that’s not an issue and keeps on producing until the real hard frosts arrive and the ground is blanketed with snow.
Generally, saffron is considered consistently hardy to zone 6. If you’re in zone 6 or above, there’s no real need to do anything special to grow saffron. Just plant them in the fall, harvest and keep the soil weed-free during their dormant season.
In Zone 5, the saffron bulbs need to be heavily mulched after blooming to help insulate the soil. If properly mulched, saffron bulbs can be overwintered successfully even in zone 5. I put down about a foot of straw mulch over our saffron patch just as the first big snowstorm of the season was starting.
Remove the heavy mulch covering in the spring after the lasts frosts have passed, but don’t water or tend them (other than weeding) until the fall.
In zones 3 and 4, saffron can be planted in pots and overwintered indoors. Start by planting several bulbs to a pot in the fall, all about 3 inches apart. Bury the pot outdoors in a growing bed, covering the rim by at least 2 inches.
After the saffron bulbs have flowered, it’s important to bring this pot indoors. Wait until the first frosts have passed, but be sure to dig the pots up before the ground actually freezes.
Bring the pots indoors and place them in a cool dry place that’s about 40-50 degrees. DO NOT WATER THEM.
The following spring, re-plant the pots out in the garden again. Wait until after the last frost date, and plant about the same time as your tomatoes.
Planting saffron in a pot outdoors. The pot is brought inside to overwinter in very cold climates.
Saffron needs a dry dormant season, so make sure they’re in a well-drained bed and do not water them until the fall. Obviously, some rain will happen during the summer months, that’s fine, just avoid watering them when you water the rest of your garden.
Then in the fall months, the saffron will sprout up tiny grass-like stalks again and the cycle will repeat itself.
Harvesting Saffron
The first year after planting, the bulbs are still getting established and may not produce heavily. Generally, the 2nd and 3rd years crops are the heaviest, and then the bulbs are divided in the 4th year.
In the 2nd and 3rd year, each bulb should produce roughly 6 to 9 flowers, each one with three precious saffron threads.
Generally, the whole flower is plucked in the field and then they’re brought indoors to delicately harvest the threads in a clean, dry environment. Harvest the flowers mid-morning, once the flowers are fully opened and any morning dew has dried.
Bring them indoors and then pluck out the saffron threads from each blossom.
Saffron needs to be dried immediately to prevent spoilage, but since the threads are so small, they readily dry in a few hours in the sun. Place the fresh saffron threads in a warm, dry, well-ventilated sunny space for a few hours and they’ll naturally dry on their own.
Once completely dry, store saffron in an airtight container.
How to Use Saffron
Once you have your own homegrown saffron, you’ll be amazed at the difference freshness can make. Some of that difference is more than just freshness…
Since saffron is so expensive, it’s commonly the victim of food fraud. Corn silk is cut, dried and died bright red and then sold as saffron. You might be convinced that your “saffron” is just old and the flavor is lost, or perhaps you’ve never even tasted real saffron in your life…just the imposters.
Once you’ve learned how to grow saffron and you’re growing it in your own garden, you’ll be sure that every thread that goes into your cooking is the real thing.
Saffron is common in middle eastern cooking, but it’s also quite popular in European and Nordic countries thanks to the spice trade. Historically it was reserved for special occasions like Christmas, and there are still many celebration treats that just aren’t complete without it.
Saveur has an unbelievable collection of recipes using saffron from around the world, and now that I have the real thing in my hands I’m going to work my way through it!
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Lucinda
Wow! Great article!
Diane
If growing them in a pot, do you need to sink the pot into the ground again every year? Can’t you just move it outside? Thanks!
Ashley Adamant
The reason to sink it into the ground is to help regulate temperature, moisture and keep them deep. I imagine it’d work if you just kept them in a pot too, but if it starts to frost early the cold temps might shut them off early without the ground for insulation (otherwise they’ll keep going until they’re buried in snow).
I imagine though, it may well work just to keep them potted with the right care.
Barbara Simoes
I just ordered a bunch of saffron crocus, and I too, live in Vermont (East Middlebury) which is now considered zone 5. If I choose to plant some in a window box for easy portability, and they have to be stored at 40-50 degrees during the winter, would they require light, or could I put them in my cellar? I have a garage, but it is not insulated, and gets much colder than that. As I’m typing this, I’m thinking that straw in the vegetable garden might be the easiest, but I would like to do the window box idea.
Ashley Adamant
So this past year I did straw in the veggie garden and didn’t bring them in (even though we’re zone 4) and they did great.
Shabnam
Excellent work by Ashley. So nicely explained all the steps and care. I’m from India, lived in Delhi and recently shifted to the beautiful hills of Uttarakhand. I’m so keen to grow crocus in my garden. Thanks so much for being sharing all details. Keep up the good work and take care of yourself .
Ashley Adamant
Wonderful, I really hope it works out for you!
Barbara A Simoes
I’ll be using the crate method, as detailed from UVM’s Saffronet site, but they stop short of saying what to do after the harvest. I was thinking that I’d bring the crated into my cellar, but it is pitch black down there as all of the windows have been sealed over with cement in an attempt at energy savings. Will the corms need light when they are dormant, or would this be a good place to store them until spring? Thanks for any help you can supply.
Ashley Adamant
When they’re dormant and don’t have any leaves they don’t need any light, so that’s a good choice.
lisa stuczynski
How do I know which place to buy them is good. On amazon the stars are all over the place. Help in buying..thanks
Ashley Adamant
I’d suggest trying renee’s garden or fedco seeds, both are reputable suppliers.
Mehdi Zamanian
Hi Ashley,
Very nice write up. I am originally from Iran and have a natural affinity for this precious flower. I may be the first in Tucson, AZ area, Zee FarmZ in Cochise county to be exact who plans to grow them. The climate is very similar to what we have in the Saffron region in Iran. I am starting with just 100 corms. Your article has been quite helpful.
Ashley Adamant
Wonderful, I wish you the best of luck! I’d love to hear how it turns out in a warm climate. Let me know how it goes!
Meeraa Bhambure
Hi.. very well explained information about saffron planting. I have planted 10 saffron bulbs on 30th august this year for the first time. They have already multiplied to 22. The beautiful green foliage is also showing. When should I expect my first saffron flower. I live in hardy zone 6a in the US
Ron Reynolds
what size pots would be best? I am in zone 4B
Ashley Adamant
I’m using 2-gallon pots I believe?
Carol Martin
Great article- looking forward to attempting to grow saffron corms on our northern Vermont homestead next late summer. If you can recommend any additional reading material, I’d love to learn more. Thanks!
Ashley Adamant
Wonderful! I actually have had good luck overwintering the saffron outdoors given the mild winters we’ve had the past few, and haven’t brought the pots in at all. They’re actually out there now, still green and in the ground in late December this year. Hope it works out for you.
No specific resource suggestions, but I did just come across this in my news feed last week: https://vtdigger.org/2020/12/06/vermont-becomes-a-center-for-the-fledgling-u-s-saffron-industry/
Shaheda Yeasmeen
I bought 10 corms and it arrived today. The corms has the light green color foliage. Is it a good sign? I have a clay soil in my garden. I want to grow in a pot. What size pot should I use to put those in one pot.. Some suggested that 8 inches high pots is best. How about the depth?
Thank you for the this article.
Administrator
I think that an 8 inch high pot sounds about right. You want to plant them 3 to 4 inches deep so that would put your bulbs about midway down.
Aya
Hi there! Thank you for your very helpful article. I planted my first bulbs last fall, a little late perhaps as I only had one flower. I’m in Zone 7 and my plants are in containers as I do not have outdoor space – I brought them indoors for the winter as you recommended. The foliage has dried up completely, is it fine to trim this?
Administrator
You should be fine to trim off any dried foliage.
Tanya
Hello! This article helped me a lot. Thank you for writing it. So, do you pluck the whole flower of the stem? Or do you only take the saffron?
Administrator
Generally the whole flower is picked in the field and then the threads are carefully harvested inside.
jardiniere
the link to fedco above opens to the incorrect variety of crocus. please fix the link so it links to crocus sativus. thanks for the great article!
Administrator
Thanks for pointing that out. We will get it added to the list and get to it as soon as possible.
Dexter
I can’t figure out why mine won’t sprout this year. I’m in USDA Zone 6B. I overwintered them indoors then put the pots back out. It is now Oct 8 and nothing came up. I just upended one pot and was surprised to see lots of little bulbs, looking firm and good but no hint of a sprout. 1/4″ to 3/8 estimated diameters.
Administrator
Have you grown them before or is this your first year?
Dexter
I have been trying for several years. Never got much. Last year I got a few flowers off this same batch in the same pots.
I tossed the little bulbs yesterday as the larger ones dried up hollow and the tinier ones shriveled to almost nothing.
I did have the pots out in the sun all summer, only occasionally giving them some water. I still have 2 pots I have not looked into, and they have not sprouted anything.
Maybe the the bulbs cooked to death?
Dexter
I replied 2 days ago via the webform emailed to me, but it is not showing up here. Yes, I have been trying for years with minimal success.
Meanwhile just now I upended the other 2 pots I had. The larger one had several bulbs in the 3.4″ range and 1 at least 1″. They seem turgid and sound. A couple of them have sprouted about 1/4″ and here it is only Oct 20. I guess I will put these in a shallow pot to see if they grow at all.
Administrator
That sounds like a good plan. It definitely sounds like the ones left out in the summer heat with little water probably died. Hopefully, you can salvage the others. Just keep in mind that if you have something in pots it will definitely dry out much faster than plants that are in the ground.
Raphael
I see many poeple trying, I am trying…to find a place to buy even worldwide, it seems that there is a season ti buy it, Everywhere oyt of stock, Any ideas? Just looking for a minimum just enough to try and maybe learn something…
Administrator
It looks like the links in the post for Fedco and Renee’s Garden are both out of stock. It does look like there may still be some available on Amazon. Otherwise you may have to wait until next year.
Mary Ann Lammersen
I hope you can help…I am going to plant the Crocus sativus bulbs tomorrow. I purchased 10 bulbs at the garden center and each one has no roots but 3-5 white shoots that are 1 to 2 inches long. I have been careful not to break these off. I live in USDA zone 7-8 in Lund BC Canada. I want to know if these sprouts are going to become the leaves or the flowers. This will probably determine where I should overwinter them. I will plant them as you suggested with sand in the bottom of a large clay pot at the depth you suggest in loose soil. I can either plant them and put them unwatered in an unheated glass house to hopefully wait til spring to show their green…OR plant them and water them and place them on my porch to watch for flowers in order to harvest the saffron threads and then overwinter them in the glasshouse. Which do you think is the best idea??? Thanks!
Administrator
These are fall blooming so they will emerge and flower in the fall and then go dormant again until the following fall. It takes about 5 to 8 weeks after planting for the first flowers to appear. I think I would give them a little water regardless, otherwise they may shrivel up on you. If you put the pot in the greenhouse that may still give you enough time for them to emerge before it gets too cold.
Mary Ann Lammersen
Thank you, I’m going to try that. I think their life cycle got disrupted a bit being stored at the garden center. Excited to see what will happen!
Administrator
You’re welcome.
Hamed Amirkhani
The American saffron industry will have a bright future. Thanks for the good article you published.
Sue
Hi. I planted Saffron bulbs in mid October in Michigan. Today, Dec 10 I have beautiful sprouts and no flowers. There is snow on the plants. 1). Has the time passed for the plants to flower? 2). Can I bring the plants into a warmer environment and will they bloom still? 3) Do I wait until next Fall for a flowering crop?
Thank you! The article and website is awesome.
Administrator
I think the best thing to do is to leave them where they’re at and they should bloom for you next fall.
Linda
I’m confused – first, we are not to water the dormant corms, but people talk of dried out bulbs from lack of water. Are they to be watered, and if so, when and how much? Odd little plant that doesn’t want water, but then I’ve never grown flowers before, only vegetables.
Thank you!
Administrator
They will get some water in the summer from rain, you just aren’t supposed to give them any additional water. Otherwise they may break their dormancy.
Sunny
To confirm, we start watering 5 to 8 weeks after planing even if we see the green parts breaking the soil right? I bring my saffron indoors so they get 0 water, just trying to figure out when I should start.
Administrator
Yes, I would still water them.