True saffron is native to Asia Minor and southern Europe. Several varieties of C. sativus L. are known and cultivated in various countries (e.g., France, Spain, Turkey, Greece and Italy). The varieties C. sativus thomasii Ten and C. orsini Parl. are commonly cultivated in Italy. This herbaceous plant is approximately 30 cm (12 in.) tall, has bulbous roots usually branched by smaller fibrous roots, an erect, white, thin scape terminated by purple inflorescences and three red-orange stigmas. The mature stigmas are collected during a short blooming season to produce the spice saffron. Saffron has a sweet, spicy, floral odor with a fatty, herbaceous undertone and a slightly bitter taste. For coloring purposes, the less expensive dried flowers of the American or Mexican saffron (Carthamus tinctorius L., family Compositae) are used in lieu of saffron. However, these varieties have a scarcely perceptible flavor
Taste characteristics at 40 ppm: sweet, tobacco, rum, brown, woody and slightly spicy
