For our second day of Flower Fun Facts, let's look at the Crocus - I have quite a few blooming in my front yard! These pretty flowers are another early-bloomer and when I see their colorful blooms I know Spring is near!
Crocuses . . .
- Are one of the first flowers to bloom the the Spring - often even doing so through snow.
- They are crucial for bees because they are often the first, and sometimes only, food source available after a long winter.
- We get the spice saffron from the dried, hand-picked red stigmata of the Crocus sativus flower.
- It takes roughly 75,000 to 85,000 Crocus sativus flowers, harvested by hand between dawn and 10 a.m., to produce just one pound of saffron - which is why saffron is SO expensive!
- Crocus flowers are highly sensitive to light and heat; they open their blooms only during sunny, bright weather and close tight at night or when it rains.
- Crocus flowers do not have true stems; they emerge directly from the corm (a bulb-like underground storage organ).
- While the flowers are beautiful, the corms themselves are actually edible and have been eaten in some cultures as a root vegetable.
- Given the right conditions, crocus bulbs can spread and naturalize in the garden, creating a, lovely "carpet" effect. This is happening in my front yard and it makes me so happy to see these beautiful flowers!
- While purple and yellow are common, crocus flowers can be found in a wide range of colors, including white, lavender, blue, and even striped varieties.
You'll find more Crocus fun facts at this link.
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