Saffron Crocus

The saffron crocus, unknown in the wild, descends from Crocus cartwrightianus, which originated in Crete, Greece, and is an extremely rare flower that produces an even rarer (and expensive) spice named saffron. Despite being first cultivated in Greece it was slowly propagated throughout much of Eurasia and was later brought to parts of North Africa, North America, and Oceania.