Скачать или смотреть Crocus (Crocus x) - plants in flower (orange) close up - February 2021

===General information===

Crocus is a plant that belongs to iris family. There are over 80 different species of crocus that originate from Southern Europe, Central Asia, China, Middle East and Africa.

Crocus lives in alpine meadows, rocky mountainsides, scrublands and woodlands. Crocuses tolerate low temperature and cold climates.

Beautiful flowers of crocus often protrude from the snow when these plants live on the high altitudes.

People started cultivating crocus 500 years BC. This plant can be used as spice, medicine and as a dye. The majority of crocus species are abundant in the wild. Certain species are threatened by habitat loss.

Crocus is small plant that can reach 8 to 12 inches in height.

The colour of the flower depends on the species. Crocuses are usually yellow, white, mauve or lilac in colour.

Crocus has single, cup-shaped flower that arises from a long tube. The flower is composed of six petals.The leaves of crocus are sword-like shape and have white central stripe.

Crocus has corm which serves as underground storage system. Each year, at the beginning of the new growing season, a new corm develops on the top of the old corm.

Flower has both male and female reproductive organs. Each flower has three red stigmas (female sex organs) and three yellow anthers (male sex organs).

Saffron is a spice derived from dried female reproductive organs (red stigmas). These organs contain pigment called crocin which is yellow in colour and has musky taste. Saffron is often used in Mediterranean kitchen.

Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world because one ounce of saffron requires 80,000 plants. All of the plants are harvested manually and around 90% of the world's saffron is produced in Iran.

Saffron based pigment was used in the cave art 50,000 years ago.
Saffron can be used in the manufacture of perfumes and in medicine.

Some studies showed that saffron has antibacterial properties and possible anti-tumour effects. It can improve memory and it is often used to alleviate cough, bronchitis and stomach ache.

Another application of saffron is in textile industry, where it is used for the dyeing of fabrics.

Saffron has a curiously distinctive flavor, but fresh from the fall flower it smells sweet, of freshly cut hay, and feels like waxed thread

Certain species of crocus, such as Crocus Autumnale are poisonous. Besides being dangerous (if consumed), this type of crocus shows the greatest tolerance toward low temperatures.

Different species of crocus bloom in different parts of the year, but most species will show their beautiful flowers during the winter and spring.

Crocuses can be pollinated by various types of insects, such as bees, moths and beetles.

Crocus is perennial plant which means that parts of the plant above the ground die each year and new plant develops from the underground corm. Crocus can survive for more than two years.

The Dutch Crocus, or Crocus vernus, sports the largest blooms of all the Crocuses, and is probably the most popular variety of this versatile plant

The popular Autumn Crocus or Colchicum Autumnale is actually not a true Crocus and is a member of the Lily family. The two can be differentiated in that true Crocus has 3 stamens and Crocus Autumnale has 6. This is a highly poisonous plant, so don't confuse it with Crocus Sativa. Poisoning symptoms are similar to arsenic poisoning.

===Other common names===

Saffron crocus
Autumn crocus

===Useful links===

http://www.softschools.com/facts/plan...
https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/search-...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crocus_...
https://www.theflowerexpert.com/conte...

===Scientific classification===
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Iridaceae
Genus: Crocus