Crocus sativus
Grow your own saffron spice!
Orders placed before 1 September 2024
You can expect your order in September 2024
Orders placed 1 September - 15 October 2024
You can expect your order in October 2023
Orders placed 16 October - 15 December 2024
You can expect your order within 10 business days
UK orders over £50
Free shipping
UK orders under £50
£4.99
Northern Ireland orders under £50
£5.99
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Description
Saffron bulbs, or Crocus sativus, are known to be one of the most valuable plants to grow, not only for their show-stopping garden performance and wonderful deep lilac-purple autumn colour, but the saffron spice (also aptly known as the Red Gold) which is harvested from the Crocus sativus flowers is worth more than its equivalent weight in gold!
If you had the time and the space you could really strike gold with this small flower as Crocus sativus is the plant which produces the highly-prized (and priced) red spice, saffron. However, there’s no need to be disappointed when you learn that there’s a reason why this showy autumn crocus’ spice costs so much:
"It takes around a 150 of these small Crocus sativus plants (and some careful harvesting and drying) to nett about one gram of the saffron spice."
However, even if you don’t have the patience to go commercial with regard saffron, you’ll still have struck gold with the display this lilac saffron crocus, flashed with deep purple and sporting a long red stigma, produces.
Key features
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Perfect for pots
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Suitable for indoors
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Comes back every year
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Attractive to wildlife
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Loved by pollinators
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Naturalising
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Thrives well in full sun
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Great for shade
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Packed in paper bags
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Low maintenance
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Fully hardy
Specs & details
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Botanical name
Crocus sativus
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Flower colour
Violet, purple
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Bulb size
9/10
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Established height
10-20cm
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Established spread
5-10cm
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Plant spacing
150 bulbs per m2
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Leaf colour
Green
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Habit
Upright
Clump-forming -
Life cycle
Perennial
Naturalising -
Hardiness
Fully hardy
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Years to establish
1st year
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Sunlight
Full sun
Partial shade
Dappled shade
Full shade -
Position
Sheltered
Exposed -
Suitable for
Pots
Large containers
Borders
Ground cover
lawns
Meadows
Gravel gardens
Wildlife gardens
Coastal gardens
Rockery
Cottage gardens
Low maintenance gardens
Indoors -
Soil acidity
Any
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Soil moisture
Free draining
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Soil type
Loam
Sandy
Multipurpose compost
Loam-based compost
Clay -
Growing skill
Easy to grow
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Scented
No
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Pollinator-friendly
Yes
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Mouse resistant
No
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Rabbit resistant
No
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Deer resistant
No
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Toxicity
No report
Plant calendar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- Planting
- Flowering
Useful information
-
Orders placed before 1 September 2025
You can expect your order in September 2025Orders placed 1 September - 15 October 2025
You can expect your order in October 2025Orders placed 16 October - 15 December 2025
You can expect your order within 10 business days
Perfect companions
60 seconds: Saffron
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