Saffron
Saffron is a herb in the Iridaceae family. It grows best in full sun with low to medium moisture, and is listed for USDA zones 6-9. Plants sit about 3 inches apart.
Varieties
1 · sorted by days to maturity▸Saffron
PROPAGATION CATEGORY: Corm (not currently in seed catalog). Use: Dried red stigmas are the saffron spice. Harvest: Hand-pick the three red stigmas from each fall flower.
Saffron (Crocus sativus) is the fall-blooming crocus whose three crimson stigmas, hand-harvested and dried, are the world's most expensive spice. Grown from corms planted in late summer. Hardy in zones 6-9; needs a dry summer dormancy.
Growing notes: Botanical name: Crocus sativus|Hardiness zones: 6-9|Propagation: corm|Sun needs: Full sun|Water needs: Low to medium|Mature height: 4-6 inches|Spacing: 3 inches|Harvest: Hand-pick the three red stigmas from each fall flower
Plant spacing
In a square-foot bed, space saffron about 3 in apart — that fits 16 plants in each 1-foot square (4×4). Wider rows or containers space the same.
Plan your saffron planting
Add saffron to a free GardenDraft plan and get sow, transplant, and harvest dates computed for your ZIP code — with a drag-and-drop bed layout and reminders when it’s time to plant.
Start your free plan →At a glance
Storing & preserving
Refrigerate stems in water, or wrap in a damp towel for a few days.
- Dry: Dehydrate or air-dry, then store airtight away from light.
- Freeze: Freeze chopped in oil or water in ice-cube trays.
General home-preservation guidance — for tested processing times and safety, follow the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Growing timeline
Care & troubleshooting
No curated care & troubleshooting advice for saffron yet. Our extension-sourced library currently focuses on common edible crops; we're expanding it over time.