Practical
Plants

Crocus nudiflorus

a member of the Crocus genus in the family Iridaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Iridaceae
Genus
Crocus
Height
0.2 m
Fertility
Bees, Butterflies
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees, Butterflies

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The following reports are for C. sativus. They quite possibly also apply to this species. The plant is poisonous[12]. The plant is perfectly safe in normal usage but 5 - 10 grams of saffron has been known to cause death[20].

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

This species has been used as a saffron substitute[11]. The following notes are for the genuine saffron, C. sativus:- The flower styles are used as a flavouring and yellow colouring for various foods such as bread, soups, sauces, rice and puddings[10][19][21][3][12][17][18][9]. Extremely rich in riboflavin[2]. Water soluble[6]. Yields per plant are extremely low, about 4000 stigmas yield 25g of saffron[22]. Saffron is the world's most expensive spice, it takes 150,000 flowers and 400 hours work to produce 1 kilo of dried saffron[14]. About 25 kilos of styles can be harvested from a hectare of the plant[19]. The flower styles are used as a tea substitute[9].

Product or use
Colouring
Product or use
Condiment
Product or use
Tea

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

This species has been used as a saffron substitute[11]. The following notes are for the genuine saffron, C. sativus:- Saffron is a famous medicinal herb with a long history of effective use[19][21]. The flower styles and stigmas are the parts used, but since these are very small and fiddly to harvest they are very expensive and consequently often adulterated by lesser products[21]. They are anodyne, antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, appetizer, carminative, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, sedative and stimulant[19][21][12][7][8][13]. They are used as a diaphoretic for children and to treat chronic haemorrhages in the uterus of adults[19]. A dental analgesic is obtained from the stigmas[21]. The styles are harvested in the autumn when the plant is in flower and are dried for later use[19], they do not store well and should be used within 12 months[14]. This remedy should be used with caution[12], large doses can be narcotic[15] and quantities of 10g or more can cause an abortion[13].

Product or use
Anodyne
Product or use
Antispasmodic
Product or use
Aphrodisiac
Product or use
Appetizer
Product or use
Carminative
Product or use
Diaphoretic
Product or use
Emmenagogue
Product or use
Expectorant
Product or use
Sedative

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The yellow dye obtained from the stigmas has been used for many centuries to colour cloth[19][21][3][12]. It is the favoured colouring for the cloth of Indian swamis who have renounced the material world. A blue or green dye is obtained from the petals[5].

Product or use
Dye

Environment

Range
S. Europe - S.W. France to N.E. Spain.
Habitat
Meadows[23].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 5+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a light sandy soil in pots in a cold frame[1]. The seed can also be sown in a cold frame in early spring[1]. Sow thinly because the seed usually germinates freely[1], within 1 - 6 months at 18°c[4]. Unless the seed has been sown too thickly, do not transplant the seedlings in their first year of growth, but give them regular liquid feeds to make sure they do not become deficient. Divide the small bulbs once the plants have died down, planting 2 - 3 bulbs per 8cm pot. Grow them on for another 2 years in a greenhouse or frame and plant them out into their permanent positions when dormant in late summer[K]. Plants take 3 - 4 years to flower from seed[11]. Division of the clumps after the leaves die down in spring[1][11]. The bulbs can be replanted direct into their permanent positions if required.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a well-drained sandy or loamy soil that is free from clay[2]. Prefers some shade from the hottest sun in summer and at least a modicum of moisture during its summer dormancy[11]. Succeeds in grass, so long as this is not mown until the leaves die down, it also grows well under deep-rooting deciduous trees and shrubs[11]. It can also be grown with very low shallow-rooting groundcover plants such as lawn camomile (Chamaemelum nobile 'Treneague')[11]. Plants are very frost hardy[2]. Plants tend to move considerably from their original planting place because of their means of vegetative reproduction, it is therefore wise not to grow different species in close proximity[1]. The corms should be planted about 5 - 8cm deep in the soil[11]. Any planting out is best done in late spring or early summer[16]. Plants take 4 - 5 years to come into flowering from seed. The flowers are only open during the day time, closing at night[16].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  2. ? The Plantsman. Vol. 9. 1986 - 1987. Royal Horticultural Society 1986-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  3. Holtom. J. and Hylton. W. Complete Guide to Herbs. Rodale Press 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-87857-262-7

    ↩1↩2

  4. Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990-00-00

    ↩

  5. Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-02-544950-8

    ↩

  6. Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00

    ↩

  7. Kariyone. T. Atlas of Medicinal Plants.

    ↩

  8. Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985-00-00

    ↩

  9. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2

  10. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  11. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8

  12. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  13. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩1↩2

  14. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2

  15. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩

  16. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

    ↩1↩2

  17. Vilmorin. A. The Vegetable Garden. Ten Speed Press ISBN 0-89815-041-8

    ↩

  18. Harrison. S. Wallis. M. Masefield. G. The Oxford Book of Food Plants. Oxford University Press 1975-00-00

    ↩

  19. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  20. Frohne. D. and Pf�nder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Wolfe 1984-00-00 ISBN 0723408394

    ↩

  21. Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-356-10541-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  22. Polunin. O. and Huxley. A. Flowers of the Mediterranean. Hogarth Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0-7012-0784-1

    ↩

  23. Phillips. R. and Rix. M. Bulbs Pan Books 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30253-1

    ↩

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