A Guide to Growing Saffron in Australia

Ever wondered what goes into producing those precious red threads of saffron? Whether you’re a home gardener or just saffron-curious, here’s your all-seasons guide to growing saffron in Australia—straight from the paddocks of Orange, NSW!

• The Saffron Plant: Basics

  • Botanical name: Crocus sativus

  • Grows from: Corms (like bulbs)

  • Cycle: Autumn-flowering, summer-dormant perennial
    

    
    

• Soil and Site Selection:

  • Saffron loves free-draining, sandy to loamy soils. Heavy clay? You’ll need to work in plenty of organic matter to improve drainage.

  • pH: Slightly acidic to neutral (6.0–7.5 is ideal).

  • Tip: Avoid spots where water pools after rain; saffron corms hate wet feet!

    
    

• Climate Considerations: Saffron thrives in regions with:

  • Cold autumns and winter (ideally getting below 5 degrees celcius to flower well)

  • Dry, hot summers (to trigger dormancy)

  • In Australia, that means most temperate regions—think inland NSW, VIC, SA, and TAS. If you get frosts, even better!

    
    

• The Saffron Year: Planting, Growth, Harvest & Dormancy:

  • Planting: (Summer, January-March)

    • Plant 10–15cm deep, 10cm apart, pointy end up.

    • Water, then let autumn rains do the rest.

  • Growth & Flowering (Autumn: April–May)

    • On average flowers for 5-7 weeks

    • First, grass like green shoots appear as the weather cools.

    • Water every 21 days if no rain

    • Within weeks, purple flowers begin to appear rising with the sun each morning

    • Tends to flower in a bell curve, first 2 weeks minimal, middle two weeks lots, last two weeks minimal

    • Fun fact: At Argyle, we process over 100,000 flowers each season!

  • Harvest (Peak: Late April–May)

    • Flowers emerge with the sun in the morning and must be picked before fully open, within hours. Flowers wilt and die after a few hours in the sun.

    • Gently pluck the whole flower at it's stem, without disturbing the root or pulling.

  • Stripping & Drying (Immediately after Picking)

    • Carefully remove the 3 red stigmas from each flower by hand (we call this “stripping”).

    • Remove the yellow/orange bottom part of the stigma (this holds no value or flavour)

    • Lay stigmas on a tray and dry them gently in a very low oven around 100 degrees (no fan forced) for approximately 10 minutes, or until they feel dry but not brittle to touch. Alternatively if you have a food dehydrator you can dry at 60 degrees for approximately 40 minutes.

  • Storage:

    • Store dried saffron in an airtight jar, away from light and heat.

  • Growth Period (Winter: June–September)

    • Leaves keep photosynthesising, feeding the corm for next year.

    • Water only if winter is very dry.

  • Dormancy (Spring - Summer: October–December)

    • Leaves yellow and die back.

    • No water needed, let the corms rest in dry soil.

      
      

• Ongoing Care and Tips:

  • Weeding: Keep beds weed-free to reduce competition.

    Feeding: Saffron isn’t a heavy feeder, but a little fish emulsion at planting helps.

    Pests: Watch for rodents or birds that might dig for corms.

    Dividing: Every 3–4 years, dig up and divide corms to prevent overcrowding, and plant in new soil.

If you’re keen to get started:

• Commercial corm orders open in August. Please complete the EOI form below and we will send you more info and a price list!

Register interest in saffron corms

• Retail corm packs are released on our website in September, set a reminder, as they’re limited!

Growing saffron is a labour of love, each gram is handpicked and hand-processed. But there’s nothing quite like the joy of seeing those first purple blooms or sprinkling your own homegrown saffron into a dish!

Happy growing! Have any questions about saffron cultivation? Drop us a comment or email, we love talking all things saffron.