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Chrysanthemums are making a big comeback, reminding garden enthusiasts that there’s a reason previous generations loved them in their hay day. One of the most reliable autumn flowers you can grow, these hardy perennials have a fascinating history as densely packed as their blooms.
If you’ve ever wondered where they come from, how many varieties there are, or whether they’re edible, keep reading to satisfy those curiosities.
Chrysanthemums have been an important part of human history for thousands of years. Some of the earliest depictions of chrysanthemums can be seen in Chinese written records from the 15th century BCE, describing them as a simple yellow, daisy-like flower.
The coming centuries would see this humble flower and its increasing number of cultivars rapidly gaining popularity across East Asia, particularly in Japan, where it eventually became the symbol of the Imperial House. The imperial court founded Chrysanthemum Day in the year 910 AD, which remains one of five sacred festivals held every year on the ninth day of the ninth month.
Chrysanthemum Market (菊市場), Japan, Taisho era, 1914. Photograph by Elstner Hilton. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
It wasn’t until the early 17th century that cultivation in Japan really began, but it’s during this period that many of the shapes, colours and varieties that we know and love today were created. Not only that, but these varieties directly influenced the way Chinese botanists cultivated chrysanthemums towards the end of the 1800s.
The first chrysanthemum to cross continents and arrive in Europe was a semi-double form called “Old Purple”, which was introduced to Kew Gardens in 1790. It was featured in the 1796 edition of Botanical Magazine, in which William Curtis expressed great excitement:
“We rejoice in the opportunity afforded us, of presenting our readers with the coloured engraving of a plant recently introduced to this country, which, as an ornamental one, promises to become an acquisition highly valuable.”
"Chrysanthemum Indicum," The Botanical Magazine, Vol. 10, Pl. 327 (1796). Digitised by the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Public domain.
Interest continued to grow across the western world, and in 1843, the Royal Horticultural Society commissioned Robert Fortune, a respected botanist, to go on an expedition to China in search of rare plants. It’s believed that one of the plants he returned with, the Chusan daisy, is the ancestor of the much-loved pompon variety.
Over the following years, Robert Fortune’s seedlings started growing into flowers with reflexed florets instead of the familiar incurved; with shorter, stronger stems rather than tall and thin; and with a variety of new colours. The cultivation of these new varieties would eventually lead to those most commonly found in the cut-flower trade.
There are now approximately forty species of chrysanthemums recognised by botanists, and an estimated 20,000 cultivars across the world, with roughly 7,000 in China alone. Chrysanthemums are categorised by the size, shape, and colours of their blooms into 13 main types, from incurve and single to quill-shaped and spider-form.
It’s hard not to feel spoiled for choice with so many varieties to choose from, none of which would exist today without Chinese and Japanese cultivation. And, despite experiencing highs and lows in popularity over the years, chrysanthemums remain the second most popular cut flower globally.
Chrysanthemum coronarium, or chrysanthemum greens, originated in the Mediterranean but was adopted as a vegetable in China, Japan, and South East Asia. Grown for its leaves and young stems, it carries a strong aromatic flavour and is used as a vegetable or for flavouring soups and broths. The flower is also edible but the centre is quite bitter, so usually only the petals are eaten, fresh or lightly fried, in soups or over salads.
While not particularly common in the UK, chrysanthemum tea is a popular beverage throughout East and South East Asia, brewed from the species Chrysanthemum morifolium or Chrysanthemum indicum. In Korea, there is a seasonal rice wine called gukhwaju, which is flavoured with dried chrysanthemum flowers and carries a sweet, floral aroma and flavour.
More and more people are welcoming chrysanthemums back into their gardens, creating bold, colourful displays to enjoy through the changing seasons.
Browse our range of chrysanthemum plants to bring this historic flower into your garden. Once you’ve decided what you’re going to plant, head over to this blog for everything you need to know about how to grow and care for chrysanthemums.
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