Saffron

Saffron is derived from the stigmas of the Crocus sativus flower, commonly known as the saffron crocus. It is primarily cultivated in Iran, India, Greece, and Spain. The extraction is extremely labor-intensive, as each flower produces only three stigmas, and these must be hand-picked and carefully dried. It takes approximately 150 flowers to produce just one gram of saffron, making it the world's most expensive spice and fragrance ingredient.