Saffron - Crocus sativus

The crocus is a tuberous plant in the iris family (Iridaceae). Crocuses grow in mountainous areas around the Mediterranean, including the Balkans, but also in the Alps. Saffron is extracted from a specific crocus species, the Crocus sativus, a species that does not occur in the wild, and is called the saffron crocus.

Because saffron is expensive and there is a great demand for cheap saffron, the market is flooded with fake saffron, in the form of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) or - in ground form - finely chopped plant fibers, colored with turmeric (Curcuma longa). But even when a saffron is real and demonstrably comes from the saffron crocus, you should be on your guard. In any case, verify the test results (crochin content, for example). The golden rule is that you recognize good saffron by its botanical name and the data according to ISO standards.