The saffron crocus (Crocus sativus) is a small, autumn-flowering plant cultivated solely for the three vivid red stigmas inside each purple flower. These stigmas, when dried, become saffron — a spice prized for its intense golden colour, distinctive honey-like aroma, and complex, slightly bitter flavour. Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world by weight, owing to the extraordinary amount of hand labour required to produce it.
Saffron has been used for at least 3,500 years in cooking, dyeing, and traditional medicine. It is a defining ingredient in dishes such as Spanish paella, Italian risotto alla milanese, French bouillabaisse, Indian biryani, and Persian rice dishes. A tiny pinch is enough to colour and flavour an entire dish.
The saffron crocus is a sterile triploid — it cannot produce viable seeds and must be propagated by dividing its corms (bulbs). Iran produces the vast majority of the world’s saffron, followed by India, Spain, and Greece. Small-scale saffron production also exists in Tasmania and other parts of southern Australia.
How it's produced
Saffron production is one of the most labour-intensive forms of agriculture. The corms are planted by hand in well-drained soil during summer. The plants flower for just one to two weeks in autumn, and each flower must be picked by hand in the early morning before the sun opens the petals fully. The three delicate red stigmas are then carefully separated from each flower by hand — a process called “plucking” or “separating.”
It takes roughly 150,000 flowers to produce one kilogram of dried saffron, which is why the spice commands such a high price. After plucking, the stigmas are dried quickly over gentle heat or in the sun to preserve their colour and flavour. A saffron planting typically produces well for three to five years before the corms need to be lifted, divided, and replanted. The entire process, from planting to harvest, relies almost entirely on manual labour, with very limited mechanisation even in large-scale operations.
What it costs the planet (per kilo)
≈ Estimated from its category — typical for vegetables, not measured for this item yet. Sources & methods →
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