What's Blooming in October

Crocus sativus in our herb garden

ne of the most interesting autumn crocuses blooming in our gardens at the moment is Crocus sativus, the saffron crocus. Each bulb produces as many as four blossoms, each of which has reddish-orange stigmas at the end of its styles.

Unknown in the wild today, the saffron crocus is thought to have originated in southwest Asia.  History first records its existence in an Assyrian botanical text written in the 7th century BC. Having been traded and used for over four millennia, it eventually made its way to the western world—initially to Greece—via various early trade routes.  Aside from flavoring food, "saffron threads," as the harvested stigmas with their styles are called, were used as a dye for clothing, as an agent for perfuming ancient Roman baths, and as a hair dye for ladies at the court of Henry VIII.  The king eventually forbade its continued use for that purpose, fearing that its popularity would cause a saffron shortage and deprive him of this coveted spice.

As a flavoring, saffron imparts a fragrance similar to that of new mown hay and has a slightly bitter taste.  Threads must be harvested by hand, and one ounce of saffron is equal to approximately 14,000 threads.  No wonder unsuspecting first-time users experience sticker shock when they purchase either the threads or their powdered form!  The finest saffron threads available can cost close to $50 for 0.5 gram.

Propagation of the saffron crocus is exclusively via offsets of the mother bulb, as this crocus species cannot reproduce sexually and therefore produces no seed.

(Please click on the photos below, not only to enlarge them but to bring them into sharp focus.)

Last month's mystery blossom, Petunia 'Merlin Blue Morn'

Lynn's favorite Sempervivum blossoms: 'Red Cobweb' above and 'Red Summer' below

WHAT ELSE IS BLOOMING IN OUR GARDENS THIS MONTH   Goldenrod Solidago 'Peter Pan' is one of the newer garden-worthy goldenrods.   Hyacinth bean Lablab purpureus along the roof of our cottage   New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae receiving a visit from a monarch butterfly   The two plants below are always the last ones to burst into bloom in our gardens before a killing frost.  Perhaps their color is a sign that winter's white world lies ahead.   This pass-along iris is a reliable fall rebloomer in our gardens.   Upright Lespedeza japonica 'Albiflora' is a lofty lespedeza that stands over six feet tall.

Congratulations to the winner of the September What's Blooming contest, valleylynn, who correctly identified the mystery blossom as Petunia Merlin Blue Morn (photo at left).  I asked Lynn to tell us a bit about herself, both as a person and more specifically as a serious gardener:

How did you come to be a gardener?

Both my mother and grandmother loved to garden and encouraged me by giving me packets of seeds to grow. And my dad found such joy in growing a vegetable garden. It seemed to be a labor of love for him.

How long have you been gardening?

From my earliest memories.

If you had a chance to give just one piece of advice to a beginning gardener, what would it be?

I'd say to stop and really inspect the beauty of each plant, up close and personal. There are treasures waiting for you to discover.

Why did you choose a photo of Hen and Chicks for publication?

They come in shades of red, pink, white, and very pale green and have such an intriguing beauty for me.

Do you have a favorite flower?

It's the one that is blooming and catches my attention. I can’t choose just one. They are all my favorite for the day I see them. I do have a special fondness for my hardy succulent Sempervivums. They provide me with year round enjoyment, only to be hidden on occasion by snow in our area. It is fascinating to watch them change leaf color from season to season. They are the chameleons of my garden.

Do you grow vegetables as well?

We only grow a few things now, like tomatoes and peppers. We do have apples, figs, blueberries, wild plum, Chilean guava, pineapple guava, the old Concord variety of grapes, native huckleberries, wild blackberries and a new shrub this year, Tasmanian Pepper Bush, which will be used for seasoning.

Do you have any other hobbies?

I have two Certified Therapy Dogs that I do volunteer work with. And of course participating at All Things Plants.

Is there anything else you'd like readers to know about you?

That God never fails to meet my needs.

A close runner-up in September's contest was duane456.  We asked him if he had a favorite flower photo.  He responded with a seasonal collection of photos, among them some of my personal favorites. Here they are in the column below:

Duane's Favorites

Spring: Delphinium 'Pacific Giants'

Summer: Dahlia 'Fire and Ice'

Fall: Miscanthus sinensis 'Adagio'

All year: Salvia 'Hot Lips'