S affron is harvested from the fall-flowering plant Crocus sativus, a member of the Iris family. It is native to Asia Minor, where it has been cultivated for thousands of years to be used in medicines, perfumes, dyes, and as a wonderful flavoring for foods and beverages.
The word saffron derives from the Arab word zafaran, meaning yellow, and it was mentioned as far back as 1500 b.c.
