The spice's name derives, in fact, from the Arabic za'faran ("yellow") and sahafarn ("thread"). Even the Greek word croci, forerunner of crocus, means "weft".
All of this gold comes, strangely enough, from a blue crocus (sativus) which blooms in the fall. As Gerard writes, "The floure of Saffron doth first rise out of the ground nakedly in September, and his long small grassie leaves shortly after, never bearing floure and leafe at once. The floure consisteth of six small blew leaves tending to purple, having in the middle many small yellow strings or threds; among which are two, three or more thicke fat chives of a fierie colour somewhat reddish. . ."
There is also a white-flowered form of the saffron crocus (as pictured above), but it is much rarer. The "chives" Gerard mentions are the stigmas of the crocus and they, along with part of the style, were picked, dried, and pressed into little cakes.
Although the ancients adored saffron, also called karcom, krokos, or zaffer, it is apparently not so appealing to those unaccustomed to it. Many modern writers describe the spice as "bitter" and its aroma as "astringent." Nevertheless, that scent often pervaded weddings and theaters, and the sawdust on Nero's banquet floor glowed with saffron, vermilion, and powdered mica.
Crocus sativus was probably brought back to England from the Holy Land during the Crusades, either by the Knights of St. John or, as one tradition goes, by a pilgrim who risked his neck to hide a bulb in the hollow head of his walking stick. Saffron is native to the Mediterranean countries, but was eventually raised in large quantities at Saffron Walden in England where the growers were called "croakers." Monks used the yellow dye in place of gold leaf in their artwork and calligraphy.
Saffron tea became a popular remedy for fevers caused by skin diseases such as measles. It apparently invigorated too, since Gerard reported that "the moderat use thereof is good for the head, and maketh the sences more quickly and lively, shaketh off heavy and drowsie sleepe, and maketh a man merry."
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