Herb Garden World

The Saffron has been considered an important trade item from earliest times and has long been used as a medicine, dye, perfume and condiment. Originating in Persia it spread to India, China and Mediterranean by the 10th century. Such was the standing of the drug that severe penalties were imposed to those that adulterated Saffron. Hans Kolbele was buried alive in Nuremberg in 1456 with his impure drug.

Saffron crocus is a perennial herb with numerous narrow, linear leaves to 40cm long, crowing from the rounded corm. Fragrant, blue, lilac or purple flowers, 3 cm in diameter, with deeper purple veins and yellow anthers, appear in autumn. The saffron spice is produced from the three-branched blood-red style. It takes 4000 flowers to produce 25g of dried Saffron. The herb is sterile and is only propagated by corms planted in rows 15 cm apart in late summer. It needs well drained soil, sun and warm summers in order to flower.

Saffron is employed in many culinary dishes both for taste and color, in some liqueurs and the traditional saffron cakes and loaves of Cornwall in England. Formerly the herb considered an aphrodisiac. Saffron is known to have digestive, circulatory and blood pressure reducing properties. It is also the richest known natural source of Vitamin B2. Apply externally, as a paste, for inflamed skin and sores.

everythyng herbal at herb-garden world

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