Crocus sativus - Saffron

Kiwi Saffron are known for their quality and grow thousands of bulbs way south of the South Island of New Zealand in a remote and stunning area close to the Fiordland National Park.

From ancient times it has been used to promote health and is considered the most expensive spice in the World due to the fact that each stamen needs to be handpicked. Each flower has 3 stamens and only lasts a couple of days.  It takes 150,000 flowers to get 1 kilo of Saffron strands.

The beautiful, but delicate mauve was tricky to capture, and I used a mixture of Winsor and Newton Cobalt blue and Old Holland Scheveningen Rose Deep. Also Schminke Brilliant red violet and Ruby red and Daniel Smith Lavender.

Image size: 73 x 92 cms Portrait

Medium: Watercolour 

Reference: Painted from corms bought from Kiwi Saffron Ltd. and grown in Wellington to flower.

Collection: in New Zealand