Without checking the web, or Dave's Garden, I think they should bloom next Spring, and the deeply colored stigmas inside each little bloom are the source of saffron.
When you see what is gained from each flower and the tedious job of picking, and then drying the little stigmas, you can understand why saffron is expensive.
Would be interested if you have success.
And post a photo, next Spring, if you can.

With luck you should see them towards the second half of October. And yes, if they flower, they will produce saffron. Each flower will produce 3 red-orange filaments from the pistils - this is the saffron. And a little goes a very long way :-)

Thanks for your help, bogturtle and gardengal48. Yes, if I have success, I'll try to post some pix. :)

Saffron crocus bloom in the fall. However, they may not bloom the first year. Be patient. It's worth the wait. I've been growing them for a long time and they have multiplied to the extent I have plenty to give my friends.

wvbetsy Please will you Post a Photo of yours, Dad is Interested in Growing Them
Thanks

I planted Safron crocus corms about 15 years ago and while they have spread, they send out few flowers for me. I was quite disappointed. I can pick out their distinctive leaves in the garden, and every year of so get a few flowers.

I've fallen back to counting on colchicum for my fall bulbs, but I really love the much more delicate autumn blooming crocus when they show.

OK, it's been over 11 months since I planted my saffron crocus bulbs, and I have seen absolutely *nothing*. Is this normal? Are they probably dead? Thanks for any info.

Dig one up and see if there is any kind of growth on them.
What kind of ground are they in?
Is it dry?
Are you watering?

tlbean2004 wrote:

"Dig one up and see if there is any kind of growth on them."

Thanks for your response, tlbean2004. Well, I had about 15 of them, so I can just dig in the general area, I guess.

"What kind of ground are they in?"

Just regular garden soil.

"Is it dry?"

We've had average rainfall over the summer, so not particularly.

"Are you watering?"

Since the rainfall has been average, not the crocuses. I've watered some of my other plants when they look thirsty at times, but I just assumed the crocuses had died, so I haven't bothered.

Anyway, I'll do some digging and see if that uncovers anything. :)

I've no signs of my autumn croci yet either but I think it is early for them.

raee wrote:

"I've no signs of my autumn croci yet either but I think it is early for them."

When did you plant them?

I did some digging, and so far I haven't found any traces of the bulbs, which confirms my suspicions. But I'll try to do some more digging in the next couple of days.

hopefully they are still there, but hiding!
your average summer rainfall might still be too much for them maybe, I grow my saffron in containers and bring them in during the summer so they get no water while they are dormant.
my corms have been in dirt for a year and a half now, I got about 5 flowers at the beginning of autumn. One of the corms even put up two flowers, but some have put up none.
I think they still might be too small

misspie wrote:

"hopefully they are still there, but hiding!"

Well, they seem to be hiding really well! ;)

Thanks for the nice picture--now I know what mine are *supposed* to look like at least. :) Glad you've been having a reasonable amount of success with yours.