When is the best time to plant saffron crocus?

1. Time for seed propagation

If saffron crocus is propagated by seed, it needs to be planted in autumn in September or October. We should choose a good plot of land, plow and harrow the soil finely, apply enough suitable fertilizer, and sow the saffron crocus seeds.

2. Time for corm division propagation

If saffron crocus is propagated by dividing corms, we generally do it from August to September. Let me share some extra knowledge with you: a mature saffron crocus corm has multiple main and lateral buds, and after flowering, new corms form and swell from the base of the leaf cluster. The corms we use for division propagation are all taken out of the soil in summer, then dried and stored, and brought out when it is time to plant.

If you want to grow some beautiful saffron crocus, you can start in August, September or October. Whether you are planting them for a loved one or for yourself, there must be a beautiful reason for growing flowers. There are also many poems and legends about saffron crocus, forming a special saffron crocus culture. Let us go and take a look at the poems about saffron crocus!

Detailed explanation of saffron crocus cultivation techniques

[Introduction]: When people mention saffron crocus, you may not know it, but if you say zanghonghua (saffron), there is probably no one who does not know it. Yes, zanghonghua is saffron crocus, a very precious traditional Chinese medicinal herb. With the growing market demand for saffron crocus in recent years, many people have started trying to grow saffron crocus themselves. So today, the editor has compiled the cultivation techniques for saffron crocus for everyone, hoping it will help friends who are just thinking of making money by growing saffron crocus. Now let us follow the editor to learn about it.

Saffron crocus is a perennial herbaceous plant. The corm is flat and round, about 3 cm in diameter, covered on the outside by a yellowish-brown membranous coat. The leaves are basal, 9-15 in number, linear, grayish-green, 15-20 cm long and 2-3 mm wide, with recurved edges; the base of the leaf cluster is wrapped by 4-5 membranous sheath-like leaves.

The flower stem is very short and does not extend above the ground; there are 1-2 flowers, pale blue, reddish-purple or white, fragrant, 2.5-3 cm in diameter; the perianth has 6 segments arranged in 2 whorls, and both the inner and outer perianth segments are obovate with blunt tips, 4-5 cm long; the stamens are upright, 2.5 cm long, with yellow anthers, pointed at the tip and slightly curved; the style is orange-red, about 4 cm long, with 3 branches in the upper part, the branches curved and drooping, the stigma slightly flattened, wedge-shaped at the tip, with shallow teeth, longer than the stamens, and the ovary narrowly fusiform. The capsule is elliptical, about 3 cm long. 

The complete stigma is linear, relatively broad and large at the tip, gradually tapering downward into a tail shape, with irregular tooth-like edges at the tip, and the lower end is the remaining yellow style. It is about 2.5 cm long and about 1.5 mm in diameter. Purple-red or dark reddish-brown, slightly glossy. Light in body, soft in texture, brittle and easy to break after drying. When the stigma is put into water, it swells, and orange-yellow color can be seen falling in a straight line and gradually spreading, and the water is dyed yellow. Without sediment, the stigma is trumpet-shaped, with a short slit. If probed with a needle within a short time, it does not break. The odor is peculiar, slightly irritating, and the taste is slightly bitter. Those with a long body, purple-red color, moist and glossy, few yellow styles, and a pungent, cool taste are considered the best.

Propagation

Corm propagation is the main method. A mature corm has multiple main and lateral buds, and after flowering, new corms form and swell from the base of the leaf cluster. Every year from August to September, the new corms are dug out and planted, and they can flower in the same year. Seed propagation requires 3-4 years of cultivation before flowering.

Cultivation

Propagation methods. Saffron crocus can be propagated by corm division and by sowing, but corm division propagation is the main method.

①  Corm division propagation.

It is generally carried out from August to September. A mature corm has multiple main and lateral buds, and after flowering, new corms form and swell from the base of the leaf cluster. After the aboveground parts wither in summer, the corms are dug out, graded, dried in the shade, and stored. Planting earlier is beneficial for forming strong seedlings. Each mature corm has several main buds and lateral buds. When planting, large corms weighing more than 8 grams should be planted separately from small corms. Corms weighing less than 8 grams cannot flower in the same year and need to be cultivated for another year. For pot cultivation, it is advisable to select spring-flowering types with corms weighing about 20 grams in October, use flower pots with an inner diameter of 15 cm, and plant 5 to 6 corms per pot. After planting, place them outdoors first for care.

    After about two weeks, they root. Move them indoors to a place with sufficient light and fresh, humid air, and they can bloom around New Year's Day. After flowering, the faded flowers should be removed immediately to avoid consuming nutrients, and 1 to 2 applications of a compound fertilizer solution mainly containing phosphorus and potassium should be given to promote strong and sturdy bulb growth. Continue normal care until the aboveground parts wither and turn yellow at the beginning of summer, then take out the corms, dry them in the shade, and store them. Saffron crocus can also be grown in water for ornamental purposes, in the same way as soaking narcissus.

②  Seed propagation.

Because saffron crocus does not easily set seed, seeds can only be obtained after artificial pollination. After the seeds mature, sow them as they are harvested in an open-field seedbed or in pots. The sowing density of seeds should not be too high; sparser is better, because the plants need to grow corms, and they generally cannot be dug up within 2 years. From sowing seeds to the plants flowering often takes 3-4 years.

Effects of saffron crocus:

  Saffron crocus has a cholagogic effect. Crocetin can lower cholesterol and increase fat metabolism, and can be used in combination with traditional Chinese medicines such as hawthorn, cassia seed, and Oriental waterplantain rhizome for the treatment of fatty liver. By improving microcirculation and promoting the secretion and excretion of bile, saffron crocus can lower abnormally elevated globulin and total bilirubin, and can be used for the treatment of cirrhosis after chronic viral hepatitis. Crocetin has a chemopreventive effect on early acute liver damage caused by toxic substances, and shows promise for the treatment of chronic cholecystitis.

Saffron crocus contains a bitter substance called picrocrocin. Its dried stigma is sweet in taste and neutral in nature, and can promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis, disperse stagnation and open bindings, and relieve pain. It is used to treat depression and stagnation of worries, chest and diaphragm stuffiness, vomiting of blood, typhoid fever with mania, fright and trance, women's amenorrhea, blood-stagnation irregular menstruation, postpartum lochia not ending, pain due to blood stasis, measles, traumatic injuries, and so on. Abroad, it is used as a sedative and carminative. It promotes blood circulation and removes blood stasis, cools the blood and detoxifies, and relieves depression and calms the mind. It is used for warm-toxin macules, depression and stuffiness, and palpitations with mania.

The pungent golden stigmas of saffron crocus are very precious, used for flavoring and coloring food, and also used as a dye. In ancient India, a golden water-soluble cloth dye was obtained by distilling saffron crocus stigmas. After Shakyamuni passed away, his disciples used saffron crocus as the formal color of their monastic robes. In several cultures, royal clothing was dyed with this dye. In Greece and Rome, saffron crocus was scattered as a spice in halls, palaces, theaters, and baths. When Nero returned to Rome, the streets were strewn with saffron crocus. Common ways to consume it include taking it orally, soaking it in water, soaking it in liquor, using it in dishes, and steaming chicken eggs with it, but saffron crocus should not be used in too large an amount. Saffron crocus is also used to color poultry, seafood, and fish.

Steamed saffron crocus pudding

  Recipe introduction: The pudding is steamed, low in calories, healthy, and simple.

Ingredients: 2 eggs, 200 ml fresh milk, 20 g sugar, 20 ml hot water, a small pinch of Sargol-grade saffron crocus, a little of your favorite fruit jam

1. Soak the saffron crocus in hot water to release the color and aroma, then let it cool to room temperature.

2. Take a deep pot and place a steaming rack and the container to hold the pudding in it.

3. Add water without letting it exceed the steaming rack, turn on low heat, and preheat the container first.

4. Take a large bowl, put in the two eggs, fresh milk, and sugar, beat until bubbles form, then use a strainer to filter.

5. Pour the cooled saffron crocus liquid into the filtered milk and egg mixture, and stir evenly.

6. Slowly pour step 5 into the warmed container. Pour in half first, turn on high heat, add water as needed during the process, do not let the water dry out, and do not cover with a lid, so as to avoid producing bubbles.

7. After heating for about 10 minutes, half of the pudding has set. Turn to low heat, add your favorite jam. I added strawberry jam and the saffron crocus flat peach jam I made before; the other one had no jam added.

8. After adding the toppings, pour in the remaining step 5 until nine-tenths full, then turn to high heat and continue heating. If the water is almost dry, remember to add more. Do not cover with a lid.

9. Once the upper half of the egg mixture has also set, it can be taken out and left to cool.

10. After cooling, it can be put in the refrigerator to chill.

[Summary]: Saffron crocus can not only be used as a traditional Chinese medicinal herb; many friends also use saffron crocus as a spice for food flavoring or as a dye. Clothes dyed with saffron crocus have a strong Tibetan flavor, and the clothes carry a unique fragrance. It is a dye that many women have greatly liked in recent years. Almost any clothing dyed with saffron crocus is loved by a large number of women. The above is the related information compiled by the editor for everyone. I hope you will like it.

Cultivation techniques of saffron crocus. Effects and functions of saffron crocus.

Saffron crocus, also known as zanghonghua, is a spice and also a precious traditional Chinese medicine. How much do you know about saffron crocus? Today, let us follow the editor to learn about the cultivation techniques of saffron crocus and related knowledge.

Introduction to saffron crocus

Saffron crocus is also known by the alternative names zanghonghua and xihonghua, with the English name Saffron and the Latin scientific name Crocus sativus. Zanghonghua actually refers to the dark red stigmas at the tips of the 3 pistils in each saffron crocus flower. It originated in the West Asia region, and later the Arabs spread saffron crocus to Spain. Today, Spain produces the largest proportion of the world's saffron crocus.

Saffron crocus is considered the most expensive spice in the world because only the pistil part of the whole flower is usable, each flower has 3 pistils, and about 200 flowers are needed to harvest 1 gram of pistils. A family farm's annual output is only 3 to 4 kilograms. The saffron crocus blooming period occurs only once a year in October, and it must be harvested quickly when it blooms. The entire picking and roasting process must also be done by hand, which makes it especially precious. Saffron crocus can be used in medicine, aromatherapy, dyes, and food. Spanish seafood rice and Marseille fish soup are both classic dishes using saffron crocus. Its strong, unique aroma can remove fishiness and at the same time add a golden color to the dish. However, note that when using saffron crocus, it must be cooked to release its aroma, and adding a little butter can lock in the color.

Cultivation of saffron crocus

1. Growth characteristics

Xihonghua belongs to subtropical plants, and one growth and development cycle is about 220 days. It has many characteristics different from other traditional Chinese medicinal materials. The cold winter and spring season is its vegetative growth stage, and it precisely needs to grow in the open field for its corm expansion; when the temperature rises in summer, its leaves begin to wither, and it needs to be moved indoors for management and care for flower bud differentiation and nutrient transformation; before flowering and during the flowering season, people do not need to apply fertilizer or water. Therefore, xihonghua has different environmental requirements at different growth and development stages. In general, the requirements of xihonghua for soil, water, light, temperature, and local altitude are:

① Soil: Xihonghua likes to grow in sandy loam with deep soil layers, good water permeability, and sufficient fertility; it grows poorly in soil with insufficient fertility. Before the corm swells, it has a relatively large demand for fertilizer, and after the rapid swelling stage, its fertilizer requirements are relatively low, so the topdressing period cannot be later than mid-February of the year after planting.

② Water: After xihonghua is transplanted to the field, the soil needs to be kept moist, which is beneficial to the growth of the corm's root system and leaves; in the new corm swelling stage from March to April of the following year, the water requirement is even greater. If soil moisture is insufficient at this stage, the enlargement and weight gain of the new corm will be seriously affected. When saffron crocus corms flower indoors, the relative humidity of the indoor air should be kept at about 80%. If the humidity is too low, the number of flowers decreases; if the humidity is too high, the corms will root, causing the roots to turn yellow and be damaged.

③ Light: Sufficient light is an indispensable condition for the growth and development of xihonghua. Under long light and suitable temperature, it can promote the formation of new corms and the development and growth of seed corms. Therefore, as far as possible, choose sunny slopes and farmland to plant xihonghua, so as to ensure the robust development of the seed corms.

④ Temperature: Saffron crocus is very sensitive to temperature, but its temperature requirements differ at different growth and development stages. During field cultivation, its optimum temperature is 2-19°C. If a low temperature of -15°C occurs, cold protection measures must be taken to ensure safe overwintering; if a high temperature above 23°C occurs in late spring and early summer, shading measures should be taken to prolong the growth period and increase corm weight. The optimum temperature for flower bud differentiation is between 24-27°C; too high or too low is unfavorable for flower bud differentiation; the development of leaf buds and flower buds also requires a "low-high-low" alternating temperature stimulus. In the early stage, a slightly lower temperature is beneficial to the formation of leaf primordia; in the middle stage, a slightly higher temperature can promote the production of flower primordia; in the later stage, the growth of flower organs requires a lower ambient temperature. The optimum temperature for the flowering period is 15-18°C. When the ambient temperature is below 5°C, the flowers are not easy to open, and too high a temperature will inhibit the growth of young flowers.

Xihonghua has relatively strong cold tolerance. Some experts have found that xihonghua can still grow normally at a low temperature of -7°C, but the plants grow poorly under temperature conditions below -10°C. Throughout the plant's growth period, the temperature requirement is 2-19°C, and when the maximum temperature exceeds 25°C, the aboveground parts wither. If high summer temperatures occur relatively late, combined with appropriate shading and attention to irrigation, the growth and development time of saffron crocus plants can be appropriately extended, and more high-quality corms can be cultivated.

⑤ Altitude: At present, the altitude of the main producing areas of Chinese angelica in China is mostly between 50-1000 m.

2. Cultivation techniques

1. Land selection and soil preparation

The plot for planting xihonghua should be selected in an area with convenient drainage and irrigation, flat and sunny, and the soil should be loose, fertile, well-drained, neutral to slightly acidic sandy loam. To reduce the occurrence of diseases, crop rotation should be implemented, and the previous crop is best to be rice, soybean, corn, and so on. In particular, paddy-upland rotation with rice not only avoids the need to change land every year, but also allows saffron crocus corms to grow well. After the previous crop is harvested, apply 2000-3000 kg of decomposed barnyard manure (pig or cattle pen manure or green grass manure) and 50 kg of superphosphate per mu as base fertilizer, then plow the soil, break up the clods, and make seedbeds 1.2 m wide and 20 cm high for later use.

2. Propagation methods

Xihonghua usually uses corm propagation. Field planting is carried out after the stigmas have been harvested that year, mostly in mid-November using the drill planting method, with a row spacing of 20 cm and a plant spacing of about 15 cm. The planting depth of the corms should be based on the principle of not suffering freezing damage in winter, and generally they should be planted 5-8 cm below the soil surface. If planted too deep, it is not conducive to the swelling growth of the corms; if planted too shallow, the corms are prone to freezing, affecting the growth and development of the seed corms. According to many years of planting experience, at the beginning of seed corm planting, rice straw can be used to cover the ground to reduce freezing damage and weed growth.

3. Field management

① Intertillage and weeding. About one month after saffron crocus corms are planted in the field, weeds can be seen emerging in the seedbed. When there are not many, pull them out by hand in time. By the early swelling stage of the corms the following year, a comprehensive loosening of the soil and weeding should be carried out to prevent soil compaction and promote corm enlargement. Soil loosening and weeding should be completed before the end of March. After April, intertillage and weeding are no longer carried out. At this time, the field weeds have the effect of shading, preserving moisture, and promoting later growth of saffron crocus.

② Irrigation and drainage. After saffron crocus corms are planted, irrigation and watering should be carried out in time to prevent drought from affecting their growth. Generally, water once 20 days after planting in the field to facilitate sprouting of the corms; water again before winter, because water has a large heat capacity and thermal conductivity, and watering can increase the soil's heat capacity and thermal conductivity to prevent the corms from freezing; in March to April of the following year, if drought occurs, water should also be given in time. If there is heavy rain or prolonged rain, and there is standing water in the field, ditches should be dredged and drainage carried out in time to prevent corm rot and reduce flood losses.

③ Scientific topdressing. In addition to applying sufficient base fertilizer, saffron crocus should also be topdressed in time with seedling-promoting fertilizer to accelerate the enlargement and growth of the corms. After the corms are planted, spread a layer of decomposed barnyard manure on the seedbed surface, then cover it with soil from the seedbed ditches, which can maintain soil temperature and improve the cold protection effect. About 15 days after planting, apply 100 kg per mu of human and livestock excrement diluted with 20% clear water, which is beneficial to the growth of new roots and greening of saffron crocus. In early February of the following year, when the corms begin to swell and grow, apply 2000 kg per mu of decomposed human and livestock manure; at the end of February, use a 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution for foliar topdressing, with an amount of 50 kg per mu, once every 10 days, spraying 2-3 times in succession, which can promote the swelling of the corms.

④ Removing lateral buds. Saffron crocus corms are very much like garlic bulbs. At planting time, the main buds and lateral buds can be distinguished. Generally, only the main buds will flower, while the lateral buds can only grow small corms and will not flower. Therefore, in production, the lateral buds are often removed at planting time to ensure the growth and weight gain of the main buds. However, during the growth process, the mother corm will continue to differentiate small corms, and management must continuously remove buds to ensure the nutrient source needed for the growth and development of the mother corm and to cultivate more large corms.

Effects and functions of saffron crocus

1. Effects of saffron crocus

Promotes blood circulation and removes blood stasis, disperses stagnation and opens bindings. Treats depression and stagnation of worries, chest and diaphragm stuffiness, vomiting of blood, typhoid fever with mania, fright and trance, women's amenorrhea, postpartum blood stasis and abdominal pain, and swelling and pain from falls.

1. "Yinshan Zhengyao": It mainly treats heart depression and accumulated worries, qi stuffiness that does not disperse, and long-term consumption makes people happy.

2. "Pinhui Jingyao": It mainly disperses stagnation and regulates blood, broadens the chest and diaphragm, opens the appetite and promotes eating and drinking, and with long-term use nourishes the lower origin, improves complexion, and treats typhoid fever with mania.

3. "Gangmu": It invigorates blood and also treats palpitations.

2. Functions of saffron crocus

1. Effects on the uterus

The decoction has an excitatory effect on the isolated uterus and uterus in situ of mice, guinea pigs, rabbits, dogs, and cats. Small doses can cause tonic or rhythmic contractions of the uterus, while large doses can increase uterine tension and excitability, enhance the rate of automatic contraction, and even reach the degree of spasm. The pregnant uterus is more sensitive; in experiments with rabbit uterine fistula, an excitatory effect also appeared, and after one administration, the drug effect could last as long as 4 hours. The order of strength of action of its various extracts is: decoction > ethanol extract > volatile components > ether extract. Small doses can also produce inhibition of the uterus, or effects such as first inhibition then excitation, especially when the ethanol extract is applied to the uterus of non-pregnant rabbits, where inhibition is often seen. The uterine excitatory effect can be partially blocked by ergotamine ethanesulfonate (an adrenergic blocker), while atropine cannot; therefore, it is believed that part of the effect on the uterus is a direct effect on uterine muscle cells, and part is related to adrenergic receptors.

2. Effects on the circulatory system

The decoction can lower the blood pressure of anesthetized dogs and cats and can maintain it for a relatively long time; it also has an excitatory effect on respiration. When blood pressure is lowered, the renal volume shrinks, indicating constriction of renal blood vessels; it also shows a contractile effect on toad blood vessels. It has a relatively significant inhibitory effect on the isolated toad heart. Some researchers have explored it as a drug to temporarily stop the heartbeat during surgery and found that the water infusion can cause the heart of isolated toads, rat hearts, and acute cat in situ heart specimens to stop completely rapidly in diastole, lasting more than ten minutes or more, and it is very easy to recover; if used together with acetylcholine, the cardiac arrest is even more rapid and complete. No fibrillation occurs upon resumption of beating, and cardiac activity is strengthened after resumption. However, chemical analysis shows that the component inhibiting the heart is related to potassium salts, which is quite noteworthy, since saffron crocus contains a large amount of potassium salts, and potassium salts can not only inhibit the heart and cause blood pressure reduction, but also have an excitatory effect on the tension and contraction of smooth muscles such as the small intestine, uterus, bronchi, and blood vessels. Therefore, future pharmacological research on saffron crocus should first remove potassium salts.