The plant
It is a perennial bulbous plant of the iridaceae family whose flowering is autumnal. Since the saffron flower does not produce viable seeds, it depends on human intervention for its survival and reproduction.
The color varies from pale violet to dark purple (exceptionally white), the flower is composed of three petals and three sepals. The three stamens, of a bright yellow, are opposite to the sepals. The pistil is composed of an elongated style and finished at the level of the flower by three stigmas of bright red color. Saffron consists solely of these dried stigmas.
Crocus sativus being a hybrid variety, sexual reproduction of the plant is impossible. The multiplication of the species is therefore made only by vegetative reproduction or division of the bulb. This means that all rudders in the world share the same genetic heritage and are derived from a single bulb.
Plant with reversed vegetation, the flower of saffron flowers in autumn and develops its foliage of flowering in the late spring and then go dormant for the whole summer. This vegetative rest lasts until the end of August.
The plantation
The bulbs of "Crocus Sativus" are planted in July and until mid-August, during the dormant period. In the more southerly areas, planting may continue until the first week of September. A late planting does not allow sufficient rooting to ensure flowering from the following October. Planting is done manually by hoe after careful preparation of the soil and formation of planks of 4 lines separated by aisles facilitating maintenance and harvesting.
Flowering
Towards the end of August, when the night temperature remains below 17 degrees, the bulbs wake up. The flowering period begins after the third big fall rain. The first flowers start to come out when the night temperature reaches no more than 8 degrees. The flowering period spans 4 to 6 weeks, from early October to late November with a peak in late October.
The flower of saffron comes out of earth protected by a thin white sheath resembling silk. It persists the sheath then blossoms to the sun and dies in 24 to 48 hours. If it rains, it remains closed and waits for thinning to open. It leaves before the foliage or accompanied by foliage, depending on the soil. This flowering, as sudden as magic, is the happiness of any saffron.
The harvest
Instant magic ... The hard work of the summer and the long hours of harvest to come are forgotten, for a moment, at the sight of these little shoots still closed and those fragile little purple flowers that stand proudly to flourish under our eyes revealing their precious treasure. A moment of happiness every morning from autumn to dawn, a few minutes of joy before beginning the harvest, which will be long and laborious.
The flowers are picked in the morning as soon as the dew evaporates, one by one, manually. During picking, the flowers are placed in baskets that are brought to the workshop where we prune and dry the pistils. If new flowers appear during the day, a second picking will be done in the late afternoon.
Pruning consists of removing the corollas, gently grab the pistil and cut it just before the style of white color, to the height of the orange, as much as possible without separating the 3 stigmata.
Drying is the most important and most delicate stage of the harvest because it determines the quality of the saffron. Several methods are used throughout the world, in the electric furnace, in the gas oven or in the wood, in a pollen dryer, in the open air, sheltered or not of the sun, etc. We use the technique of quick drying by supplying heat, in small quantity, in order to preserve the color, the flavor and the aromas. Saffron must lose 80% of its moisture. It is therefore necessary to weigh it fresh and then after drying, using a precision balance. After drying, the pistils should be light, stiff, almost brittle and blood red.
Saffron is stored in small pots, preferably in glass. The quality of the saffron alters rapidly in the presence of light or oxidizing agents of the air. Therefore containers must be hermetic, glass rather than metal, cardboard or plastic. Natural cork stoppers do not let oxygen pass, while plastic or metal stoppers cause rapid and brutal oxidation of the spice.
All stages of harvesting must be carried out on the day of harvesting. These operations are repeated every day during the flowering period and despite the hard work that it implies, the joy of life reigns in the workshop scented with saffron vapors, which even nascent, disposes to the joy