The Crocus Sativus stays in bloom only for about three to four weeks. The stigmas have to be harvested by hand. When the stigmas are dried, they are called saffron. The higher the coloring strength of the saffron, the less you have to use in a dish to achieve the required effect. Saffron has its own unique taste that is indescribable and really there is not anything else that can be used as a substitute. The flowering period of saffron starts during middle of late October and lasts until the second week of November. However, the number of saffron flowers and the time of blooming in any year are dependent upon the temperature prevalent in spring and autumn and upon the amount of rainfall.

The cultivation of saffron needs an extreme climate, the soil must be equilibrated in organic material in order to avoid risk of erosion, and have some depth that allows the water to drain so that the bulb is not damaged. The sowing takes place in the months of June and July. The bulbs are placed in ridges of about 20 cm. depth. The distance between the bulbs should be of 10 cm. The sowing of bulbs is a very hard job because it is done by hand and forces you to walk in a bent position for hundreds of yards. The rose of saffron blooms at dawn and should stay the least possible time in the plant because it withers quickly and the stigmas loose color and aroma. This is why they are gathered between dawn and 10 a.m.