Translations:Saffron/4/en

The English word saffron likely originates from the Old French safran, which traces back through Latin and Persian to the word zarparān, meaning “gold strung.” It is a sterile, human-propagated, autumn-flowering plant descended from wild relatives in the eastern Mediterranean, cultivated for its fragrant purple flowers and valuable red stigmas in sunny, temperate climates. Saffron is primarily used as a culinary spice and natural colourant, with additional historical uses in traditional medicine, dyeing, perfumery, and religious rituals.