Saffron crocus

For centuries saffron from the Absheron Peninsula has turned Azerbaijani plov golden – it is the most expensive spice in the world.

A small perennial growing from a corm, 10–30 cm tall, with narrow, grass-like leaves. In autumn it opens purple flowers with three long, dark red stigmas – these, hand-picked and dried, are the spice. About 150,000 flowers are needed to produce a kilogram of saffron, which explains its price. The species is a sterile triploid, known only in cultivation and propagated vegetatively. Saffron colours food yellow and gives it a bitter-sweet, honey-like aroma.

Significance in the country

Absheron saffron has long been considered one of the finest in the Caucasus, and it is still grown around the villages outside Baku. It colours festive Azerbaijani plov and sweet paxlava.

Where it grows

Grown on the Absheron Peninsula, mainly in villages near Baku such as Mərdəkan, Buzovna and Nardaran.

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