How do you harvest saphron from the saphron-crocus flower?

cjinseattle..

Thank you for your question about harvesting saffron. The process of
harvesting saffron is long, and tedious and doesn't produce very much
product, hence, saffron is considered the world's most expensive
spice.  Be sure and use the Growing the Crocus sativus is not an easy
chore. It requires rich, dry soil and very hot summers. If you already
have the flower growing, congratulations!  I hope you have alot of
them as one of the reasons the spice is so expensive is that it can
take upwards of 75,000 saffron blooms to produce one pound of the
threads used for the spice.  To harvest the plant, you remove the
bloom of the flower and then separate the brightly colored tips-the
stigma- from the blooms. Then allow the stigma to dry and you have the
spice.

As you can see, growing, harvesting and collecting enough of the
saffron stigma to allow for use will be difficult, but the flavor the
spice adds may very well be worth it.  Good luck!

If you need any further clarification, please let me know.

Regards,

-THV
 

References:
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
http://www.bbg.org/gar2/topics/plants/2001fa_crocus.html

Whole Herb
http://www.wholeherb.com/ID/HG188B.HTM

Uses for Saffron
http://www.seedsofknowledge.com/saffron.html

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Request for Answer Clarification by cjinseattle-ga on 31 Oct 2002 07:32 PST

Clarification: the stigma are the heftier,
closer-to-the-bottom-of-the-bloom structures, right? The anthers (sp?)
are more thread-like, forked, and rise higher?

And, should they be harvested as soon as the flower comes out, or can
it happen toward the end of the flower's bloom, after it starts to
fade?

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Clarification of Answer by tar_heel_v-ga on 31 Oct 2002 07:55 PST

The stigma are the two or three,red-orange branch-like growths coming
from the middle of the flower.  They are connected together at the
base.  Pluck the stigma as soon as the blooms open.

Here is another source for information:

http://www.netiran.com/Htdocs/Clippings/DEconomy/201021XXDE01.html

I hope this answers your question!

-THV

Good information, but since there are two brightly colored structures
in the flower, the reference to the particular structure by name
didn't tell me which one to use. The clarification should solve the
problem. The best thing is the response was quick!

cj