Saffron (Hindi Name: kesar or keshar) is the dried stigmas of the saffron crocus and is the world's most expensive spice. The saffron strands are strongly perfumed bright orange-red colored, thread-like, each measuring 2.5 - 4 cm in length. It takes 75, 000 blossoms or 250, 000 hand-picked stigmas to make one pound of saffron.