General
Crocus display the general characteristics of family Iridaceae, which include basal cauline (arising from the aerial stem) leaves that sheath the stem base, hermaphrodite flowers … See more

Crocuses are distributed from the Mediterranean, from the Iberian peninsula and North Africa, through central and southern See more

Saffron
The economic importance of the genus is largely dependent on the single species, Crocus sativus, now known only in cultivation. C. sativus is grown for the production of saffron, an orange-red derivative of its dried See more

The crocus or krokos has been known since ancient times, and used in decorative arts, such as the Minoan wall paintings in Santorini from ca. 1,600 BC. Representations of … See more

History
The crocus was well known to the ancients, being described at least as early as Theophrastus (c. 371 – c. 287 BC), and was introduced into Britain by the Romans, where the saffron crocus was used as a See more

The life cycle of Crocus species begins with the seed, germinating to a seedling, and a mature plant in 3–5 years, however seeds may remain dormant in the soil for several years. The … See more

The corms of crocuses have been used as foodstuffs in Syria. The carotenoids found in the styles of Crocus species, particularly C. sativus have been shown to inhibit cancer cell … See more