Saffron
Crocus sativus
زعفران · Za'faran
The crimson stigma of the autumn crocus, grown on the Iranian plateau.
Iridaceae
- Scientific name
- Crocus sativus L.
- Family
- Iridaceae
- Common names
- Saffron, Saffron crocus
- Persian name
- زعفران (Za'faran)
- Parts used
- Dried stigmas (and, in lower grades, styles) of the flower
- Phytochemical classes
- Crocin and crocetin (apocarotenoid glycosides responsible for colour)
- Picrocrocin (glycoside responsible for bitterness)
- Safranal (volatile monoterpene aldehyde responsible for aroma)
- Geographic context
- A sterile, triploid autumn-flowering crocus propagated only by corm division. Iran — principally Khorasan — is the source of the large majority of the world's saffron supply; it is also cultivated in Spain, Greece, Afghanistan, Kashmir and Morocco.
- Harvest context
- Flowers are hand-picked at dawn during a short autumn flowering window; stigmas are hand-separated the same day and dried. Roughly 150,000–200,000 flowers are required to yield one kilogram of dried stigmas, which is why saffron remains labour-intensive to produce.
Crocus sativus has a long recorded history of cultivation on the Iranian plateau, and Iran remains the world's largest producer today, with Khorasan provinces accounting for the great majority of global output.
Saffron appears in classical Persian-Islamic medical and culinary writing as both a colouring and flavouring agent and as a substance used in traditional medicine. It remains an everyday ingredient in Persian cuisine — rice dishes, stews, pastries and tea — as much as a commercial export crop.
In Persian and broader Unani/traditional medicine, saffron has traditionally been used as a mood-elevating, digestive and carminative agent, and as a traditional remedy for a range of complaints.
This traditional use is a historical and cultural record, not a clinical claim, and it is not medical advice.
Safety Note
Saffron is widely consumed as a culinary spice. Clinical research has generally used standardized extracts at specific doses under supervision; those study doses should not be read as a consumption recommendation. Anyone pregnant, nursing, or taking other medication should seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional before using saffron as a supplement.
This page is provided for educational information about botany, heritage and traditional use. It is not medical advice and does not replace consultation with a qualified healthcare professional.
For business buyers
Sourcing saffron?
Safforina supplies packaged Persian saffron to business buyers, with specifications and documentation confirmed per order.