Iranian Saffron is known worldwide as red gold and Iran is the cradle of saffron cultivation and its cultivation history dates back to 3000 years ago. This plant with the scientific name (Crocus Sativus) has many medicinal and nutritional properties.

The structure of saffron
Morphologically, saffron is classified by its characteristics and the shape of its leaves, stigma, cream, petals, sepals, bulbs, and bulbs.

Petal characteristics:
Saffron leaves are usually from 1 cm to 4 cm, saffron has sharp leaves that are darker on them and lighter under them. The severity of this difference varies from species to species. Leaf thickness may be more or less in different varieties of saffron such as Caspian, Zagros, white, purple, beautiful, and Joghasem.

Stigma:
The most important part of saffron flowers is that “saffron” is obtained from it. The “stigma” is divided into different parts: “Sargol”, “Pushal”, “Dasteh”, and “Kunjeh”. The best saffron is obtained from the “Sargol” stigma, which is the reddest part of it. The color of the stigma depends on the number of carotenoids and lycopene in it.

The structure of the stigma, the cream, the width of the mouth, and the color of the end edge of the stigma are all different, depending on the species.

Cream:
It is yellow in some species such as Caspian saffron and in other species such as Zagros saffron is lighter. This color difference depends on the proportion of carotenoids in it.

Leaves:
3 each and their thickness can be low to high.

Onions:
The general shape of onions can be chamfered elliptical, rhombic, ovoid, circular, or broadly elliptical. The shape of the bulb is one of the most important traits in terms of market use.

Saffron onion has brown fibers that are very dense in some species and lower in others, and beyond that, the white color of the onion can be clearly seen.

Spoon: 

It is the first organ of saffron that is seen on the surface of the soil as soon as it germinates and in the form of a needle leaf. Its size varies in different species.