Crocus is one of the very first flowers that bloom in our garden in the spring. These flowers are the first harbingers that it is time to wake up from hibernation and work on the garden.
The great German philosopher, poet and naturalist Goethe called crocuses spring flowers of joy. Probably because after a harsh winter they are the first harbingers of the awakening of nature.
Since ancient times, crocuses have been grown in Assyria, India and Egypt. The ancient Greeks considered crocus a symbol of happiness, the flower of the goddess of the morning dawn Aurora.
Now crocuses are cultivated as a spicy, dye, medicinal and ornamental plant. Crocus is most widely used because of its valuable product (stigma), which is used in cooking as a seasoning for dishes. The stigma contains the coloring agents croquin and saffron, as well as essential oil with a pleasant smell and taste.
Saffron was known not only as a fragrant agent, as a dye for fabric, as an exquisite seasoning used in royal kitchens, but also as a precious medicine. Descriptions of the medicinal properties of saffron are in Chinese medical books dating back to 2600 BC and in Egyptian texts dating back to 1500 BC.
There are many types of crocuses in nature, among which are yellow, bright blue with purple stripes, and pinkish. The British believe that admiring crocuses sets a romantic mood, instills a desire for travel and noble deeds.
It is recommended to admire the spring purple crocuses more often. This species is especially popular in Great Britain - the Royal Horticultural Society respects it very much not only for the beauty of its forms, but also for its enviable vitality.