How Saffron Took Root in America: Tracing a Global Spice Through Pennsylvania Traditions

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The American Hands Weaving Legacies From Saffron Threads

American saffron is a little-known but deeply rooted tradition centered in rural Pennsylvania. Mennonite and other German-descended communities have cultivated the world's most-expensive spice for generations, transforming a luxury ingredient into part of everyday cooking.

Mennonite fields in Pennsylvania

In autumn, before sunrise, growers harvest saffron from purpose crocus flowers. Women such as Christine Martin, Ruth Zimmerman Martin (no relation) and her daughter Wanda, carefully pluck the red stigmas by hand. They then dry, package and sell them locally, often through small shops and community networks in Berks County, Pennsylvania.

The small borough of Lititz, Pennsylvania, emerged as the center of this tradition. By the 19th century, Mennonite communities had developed a thriving saffron trade. Cultivation often fell to women, who managed planting, harvesting and processing within household economies. Today, saffron still appears in soups, baked goods and traditional recipes, maintaining continuity between past and present.

From ancient luxury to global trade

Saffron's story, however, begins far beyond Pennsylvania. Its cultivation dates back  more than 3,000 years to Ancient Greece. By the 10th century BCE, it was widely cultivated in Persia, where it appeared in elite cuisines and graced the tables of kings and nobles. Phoenician traders carried saffron corms from Greece to Persia, where it was cultivated, processed and distributed along Silk Road trade routes to the Levant, North Africa, the Roman Empire and India.

Moors brought saffron to Spain in the sixth century CE where it became integral to Iberian Peninsula cuisine and traditional medicine. During this period, saffron emerged as a prized commodity. Its distinct flavor and therapeutic qualities fueled trade—and conflict—including stolen shipments, counterfeiting and smuggling.

Saffron's American past and present

Saffron likely arrived in North America during early European colonization. By the 1720s, it appeared in English-language cookbooks used in the colonies. Farmers such as John Spurrier of Delaware documented its cultivation, emphasizing the delicate timing and labor required to harvest the flower. Even then, the value of saffron depended on the same factors that define it today: short harvest windows and intensive manual work.  

Interest in Saffron expanded in the early United States. In 1807, Thomas Jefferson sought saffron corms from Pennsylvania growers for his estate. The spice became part of small-scale domestic agriculture, used in everyday cooking as well as special dishes.

Revival, research and legacy

Today, saffron cultivation continues in states such as Pennsylvania, Vermont and California. Small farmers produce limited qualities, often selling directly to local consumers or niche markets. Beyond cooking, some growers and researchers explore its health benefits as a holistic remedy for inflammation, digestion, eye diseases, anxiety and depression.

New growers have joined the tradition. Toby and Janelle Allspach began cultivating saffron after discovering research supporting its medicinal properties. Starting with a small plot, they expanded production and now sell both raw saffron and infused products. Their work reflects a broader movement to revive saffron as a viable crop for small farms.

Despite these modern developments, the core of saffron cultivation remains unchanged. It demands patience, precision, and careful attention to environmental conditions. Experienced growers like octogenarian Ruth Zimmerman Martin continue to adapt techniques through experimentation with soil, drainage, and plant care. Even in later life, she maintains small-scale production, demonstrating the enduring appeal of this demanding crop.

The journey of Saffron—from ancient fields to modern American farms—reveals how traditions travel, adapt and persist. What was once a symbol of wealth now survives through the labor and knowledge of small communities, connecting global history to local practice.