Saffron's Rainbow

by Connie Handscomb

Title

Saffron's Rainbow

Artist

Connie Handscomb

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

♥ Heartfelt Gratitude to FAA Groups for featuring this image :

Visions Of Spring
Fine Art Wildflower Photog.
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Botanical Name = Crocus [fr. Greek "Krokos"]
Family = Iridaceae

The crocus is old. On the island of Santorini, in the ruins of Akrotiri, wall paintings were found showing the harvest of crocus stamens that date back to c. 1600 BCE [the Bronze Age].

The crocuses are pale purple in colour from which saffron [fr. the Arabic za'faran]. It has been claimed that, ounce for ounce, saffron is more valuable than gold: 1 ounce of saffron requires 4,000 stigmas [or 75,000 blossoms - 225,000 stigmas, harvested by hand - to produce a single pound [.05kg]. It certainly was a valuable commodity when the Black Death swept across Europe in the 14th century, and its demand as a medicine depleted its supplies. Masks stuffed with medicinal spices, such as saffron, were worn during the plague, and as saffron became scarce, hostilities arose between countries resulting in The Saffron War of 1374.

While we know it best as a food flavor enhancer, saffron [fr Crocus sativus] was used during the Middle Ages in illuminated manuscripts as an imitation gold leaf, though rarely, due to its cost. And yes, it was used as a food flavoring then too .... by the rich families. Its flavour has been described as bittersweet: sweet, pungent, and earthy. The Romans used it to clear the air - the weathy ones stuffed their mattresses with rose petals and saffron. Alexander the Great is said to have had saffron baths to ease his wounds. Culpeper called it an 'herb of the sun, and of the Lion' as it was used to strengthen the heart [10 grains given as a medicine]. It has been used to aid digestion, reduce high blood pressure, and stimulate circulation.

The crocus family has 20 members. The plant itself has both male and female parts, which enables it to easily reproduce when in flower.

Currently crops are grown in Kashmir, Spain and Afghanistan. Stigmas are hand picked, dried, and then ground.

Sources:
100 Flowers and How They Got Their Names [Diana Wells]
Fifty Plants That Changed The Course Of History [Bill Laws]
Four Chefs, One Garden : Seasons Of West Coast Living [Roy]

Uploaded

April 28th, 2014

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