Saffron is an herbaceous plant and a breed of Loridaccas with a height of 10 to 30 cm and an underground stem known as saffron bulb. In each autumn 1 or 2 violet flowers are appeared from each bulb. Saffron flower has 3 petals, the same violet sepals, 3 stamens with double height of the yellow anther, a pistil located in the center of flower and an ovary. A thin tall yellowish style is emerged from the ovary stretched to a red bright triple 20-30 mm stigma. The last edible part is saffron bearing many properties. It is very interesting to know that only 5 to 7 kg dried saffron is yielded from a hectare land.

Crosin is the main coloring factor in saffron which is a main parameter which under the spectrophotometer test, wave 443 nm, shows the coloring components to determine the quality of saffron.
Bitterness of saffron is related to the existing picrocrocine which is the main aromatic substance and included nearly %60 of saffron's volatile components.