Saffron is typically grown in the summer and autumn (depending on the variety).
Saffron leaves may be harvested from late July and August through October. The leaves are then dried and fermented to produce saffron wine, saffron stock, senna and senna powder. The product is often referred to as a ‘winter crop’.
When does saffron crop fall?
All varieties that grow in India begin to bear saffron leaves in April and can yield fruit at the end of the season. However, in some provinces, particularly those that experience hot, dry and humid weather, saffron grows on even in early spring.
Why do you pick the leaves before they ripen?
The leaves can be used for culinary purposes, or dried as a seasoning. The leaves contain a good amount of Vitamin A and C, both essential to vitamin A deficiency. This may help reduce the incidence of colds, fevers and other respiratory syndromes that can result from low blood levels of vitamin A in people eating unfortified foods.
How is the plant produced?
Saffron is grown from seeds, which are sown in spring in the field and fertilized after they sprout. In the same way that wheat grows under the influence of wind and water, senna grows in the presence of rain.
Is saffron used to make saffron wine?
There is a tradition for use in making saffron wine in India. Saffron seed, which has been harvested from the sennit flowers, is steeped in water and then left to soak for hours before being rinsed and dried at about 45°C until the skin breaks and the seeds are removed and consumed. The mixture can be used to make any number of different fermented drinks, especially beer and wine.
Are there any medicinal properties of saffron?
Research has shown that sennit flowers, and especially the leaves, contain a number of beneficial chemicals that inhibit cancer growth and suppress allergic reactions, such as wheal inflammation, and may have an anti-cancer effect. In the same way that sunflowers and other plants grow best in a bright, sunny location with good access to sunshine and good soil, Indian plants have evolved to thrive in extremely harsh conditions in which the heat and the lack of good airflow is lethal.
Does saffron have an antioxidant effect?
Although it’s not as
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