# Crocus Sativus - Saffron Crocus
Characteristics: Has lavender flowers, blooms in fall, and bears fragrant stigma tips that are dried to make the spice saffron. Flowers reach 5 inches high and the narrow, bladelike leaves 12 inches high. Growing Information: In early fall, plant in full sun and fertile but well-drained soil. Space bulbs 3 inches apart in large masses for the best ornamental display. Mark their position on a garden plan or with golf tees, so you don't disturb them when they are dormant. Propagation: Corms divide easily after foliage has died back. Cultivars: You can find white-flowered forms. Possible Problems: Be certain you buy saffron crocus and not autumn crocus (Colchicum spp.), which has larger, showier flowers and is poisonous. Provide well-drained soil to avoid rot. Harvesting and Using: Pluck off the brightly colored tips - the stigmas - inside the flowers and dry to store. They're tiny, so you'll need a lot of flowers to get a small harvest. Use them in rice and noodle dishes.