introduction

Carmel presents us with flowers in all seasons. In this column we will always present one of the Carmel flowers, at the same time as it appears in the field, and you will be invited to visit it in one of the places where it blooms.

winter crocus

Winter crocus (scientific name: Crocus hyemalis) is a bulbous gophyte of the Iraceae family. The petals are white and yellow in the center, with thin purple stripes on the outside. The stamens are crimson to black. The lobes of the scar are split into thin arms.

The leaves of the plant are green and there is a light stripe in the center of the leaf. Turmeric has a bulb that renews itself every year. Pollination is done by insects. The fruit hatches by itself and has many seeds. The plant is common in the Mediterranean region of Israel and blooms from October to February.

ID

The plant described is autumn crocus (Crocus sativus), a perennial flowering plant that belongs to the iris family.

• root: Its expiration is one-year and is renewed every year.
• height: The plant is low, its height varies between 5 and 9 cm.
• Leaves: Pinnate leaves, dark green with a white central vein that crowns the leaf. Their width is between 2.5 and 2 cm.
• stalk: The plant lacks a stem, and the flowers emerge directly from the ground.
• rash: The flowering occurs in the middle of winter, between November and January.
• Flowers: The flowers are white with purple longitudinal stripes and a yellow spot in the center. Each flower consists of 6 petals, 3 black stamens with yellow pollen, and a sepal divided into 15 to 8 thin, orange lobes.
• The fruit: The fruit is an elliptical cluster about 1 cm long, which hatches by itself and contains many seeds.
• smell: There is no information about the smell of the plant.
• nectar: The plant produces nectar, and its pollination is done by insects.
• uses: The tubers of the plant are eaten after roasting or cooking. The saffron spice is extracted from the scars of crocus flowers of another species.
• Distribution in Israel: The plant is common in the mountainous regions of the Mediterranean in the north and center of the country.

The autumnal turmeric is common due to its beautiful and spectacular flowering, and is also used as one of the well-known sources of saffron.

A place to meet this week

The beginning of the firefighting road above the wildlife.

• Drive on Abba Khushi road towards the southeast
• Immediately after the pedestrian bridge to the university, turn right (south) to Tallim parking lot
• Continue about 200 m to the parking lot (located on the left of the road)
• After the parking lot, a paved road begins, go down it (on foot or by car) about 70 m, trim until the place where the road turns south (from here there is no more entrance by car).
• Continue for another 60 mi, look for the crocus on the right side of the road.

If you go to visit the flower in the company of children, you can tell them the legend about the turmeric.

The Legend of Turmeric: "The Beauty of Winter"

Once upon a time, many years ago, there was a particularly cold winter in Israel. The clouds covered the sky, and the rain washed the land for many days. The fields were gloomy, and the plants, waiting for spring to bloom, looked especially sad. Among the plants, a small and quiet flower called crocus lived underground. It was a humble plant with a small bulb that rested deep in the ground. The crocus was getting ready to bloom in winter

His plant friends mocked him:

"Curcum, why don't you wait for spring like the rest of us? In a cold and wet winter, and no one sees how beautiful we are!"
But the crocus didn't listen. He knew in his heart that every flower has its own special time, and its time is near.

One day, the goddess Demeter, the goddess of plants and the earth, came down to see the situation in the land. As she walked around the empty fields, she noticed plants that were covered with dry leaves and looked like they were desperately waiting for the spring sun.

"Why are the fields so sad?" Demeter asked.
"There are no flowers in winter," the wind answered her. "Everything is gray and cold. The plants are waiting for spring to bloom."
Then, suddenly Demeter sensed a small movement at her feet. She looked and saw the little crocus sticking out of the ground. Its white petals looked like snowflakes, and the purple stripes like gentle sun rays. In its center, the yellow color reminded of the warmth that life needs.
"Cercum, why do you bloom in winter?" Demeter asked curiously.

"Because I want to give joy and beauty, precisely when everything seems gloomy," answered the crocus quietly. "I am a small flower, but I believe that even in winter, the world needs color and light."
Demeter smiled lovingly. She called the dormant insects and persuaded them to come out, even into the cold winter, to pollinate the turmeric and spread its seeds. The insects enjoyed the nectar, and the turmeric became a sign of hope in the long winter days.
Since then, the winter crocus blooms every year, reminding us that even in the coldest times, beauty, color and light can be found.