The Cheerful Chrysanthemum
Enjoy the History of the Ancient Flower and Learn How to Grow it
Aug 17, 2008
Chrysanthemums and autumn go together like soup and sandwich. Every September there seems to be a rush to get the biggest, bushiest, and brightest mum to place in the pots on the front porch, which previously held summer blooms of geraniums and petunias - a frosted memory.
The chrysanthemum showed up in history first in China as early as the 15th Century BC. Chinese pottery showed images of the flower and it was described in early writings. It was considered an early herb and was said to contain the power of life. It was said that boiled roots could relieve a headache. The flower was called “Chu” in China and a city Chu-Hsien was named after it in its honor.
Japan followed the Chinese in their admiration for the chrysanthemum around the 8th Century AD. The official seal of their Emperor depicted a chrysanthemum as the official crest. Japan has a National Chrysanthemum Day, called the Festival of Happiness.
The chrysanthemum appeared in the United States during the colonial times. It is commonly called the “Queen of the Fall Flowers”. Chrysanthemums are the most widely grown potted plant sold from summer to fall. It is popular because it is easy to cultivate, can bloom on a schedule, comes in a variety of colors and shapes and holds blooms for a very long time. As popular as they are in this country it is interesting to know that in Belgium and Austria they are primarily used as funeral flowers.
Chrysanthemums generally don’t require a great deal of care and will tolerate conditions other flowers won’t. They are hardy and will endure light to medium frosts. They are pretty inexpensive, so if your mums didn’t come back from last year you can purchase them without damaging your budget.
Make sure the area in which you plant your mums has plenty of sunlight. If you are planting them in the ground, plant about 18 to 20 inches apart because most varieties bush out to about 30 inches. Plant at the same depth they were growing in their container, then water well. You can apply dry fertilizer (5-10-5) or soluble fertilizer (15-30-15) per package instructions. Discontinue when buds form or if there are flowers on the plants when you get them, don’t fertilize at all. Some varieties will start budding in late July. If your plants come back in the spring or if you plant early in the summer make sure to pinch back the foliage as they grow. If you don’t do this the plant will not bush out but become tall and scraggly. This might sound funny, but pinch back the buds as well until the beginning of August or flowers will bloom and die out too soon. You want flowers to be there in September and early October when everything else in your garden has stopped blooming.
Avoid watering during the evening as this can cause leaf diseases. When the soil around the plant becomes dry it is advisable to water especially when your plants are in pots that dry out much faster than ground soil.
Common problems are aphids and powdery mildew. If you see the tiny little pest making holes in your leaves or see a whitish powder substance on the leaves contact your garden center for products to alleviate the problem.
Frost eventually will kill of the tops of the plants. Cut off the dead parts and throw away. Cover with mulch to about 3 or 4 inches. There are no guarantees but this might enable the mums planted in the ground to come back the next spring.
There are several different types of chrysanthemums. Anemone blooms look like daisies with single rows of petals over a large raised center. Semidouble types have 2 or 3 rows of petals around the center. The most common types are spider, that have long and curled petals with tips ending in a hook and spoon types have rolled petals with flattened tips. Brush types have pointed petals that roll. Decorative mums have long, wide, overlapping petals. Incurve mums have really big flowers with petals that curve inward and up and irregular curve types are similar but the petals are not as rigid. Laciniated types have fringy petals. Pompoms are usually over 5 inches in diameter and look almost round. Quill mums have petals that are long and narrow and reflex have big flowers with petals that go in various directions. All come in many different colors including white, yellow, gold, bronze, purple, pink, mauve, magenta, and red. They all add a wonderful splash of color to the landscape.
If you want to try a sort of fondue and soup made with Chrysanthemums and very entertaining to eat, try the Chrysanthemum Hot Pot.
