Chrysanthemum: The Queen Of Fall Flowers
Hello Weekly Whorlers! This week we get to Fall For Chrysanthemum and find out just why she is the Queen/Queen Mum of Fall Flowers. As summer fades and temperatures start to drop, there is one star in the garden who is sure to still give you that last bit of pop of color you yearn for, the always spectacular and trusty Chrysanthemum!
How We Got Here: The History Of Chrysanthemums
Chrysanthemum's story begins well over 3,000 years ago in Ancient China in the 15th Century BCE! They cultivated the lovely plant not just for its beauty, but also for its medicinal properties, which made Chrysanthemum highly revered. In China they are regarded as one of the "Four Junzi Flowers" or Noble Ones, symbolizing Autumn season and nobility, and they even have a city names after it, Ju-Xian meaning Chrysanthemum City.
In Japan it was introduced in the 8th Century, and quickly rose to prominence. The 16 petal Chrysanthemum blossom is the Imperial Seal of Japan, symbolizing the Emperor and Imperial House, and the tern Chrysanthemum Throne refers to the position of the Emperor.
The Chrysanthemum arrived in Europe in the 17th Century, and a Swedish botanist names it from the Greek word chryos (gold) and anthemon (flower), a nod to its original color.
Interesting Uses And Meanings
The Chrysanthemum is a flower of many uses. In East Asia it is often used in herbal teas that help relieve headaches, sore throats, and dry eyes. The petals and sprouts are edible as well and are often used as garnishes on salads or added to make broths.
It can act as a natural insecticide due to its naturally forming pyrethrins. It can also act as a natural air purifier with NASA backing up this claim, and stating that they can remove benzene and formaldehyde from the air.
It is the main star in the Japanese Festival of Happiness or National Chrysanthemum Day in September, honoring the flower's cultural importance to Japan. And the Chinese philosopher Confucius suggested that the flower be the object of meditation due to the orderly unfolding of its petals, a symbol of perfection.
The Chrysanthemum flower is also a flower having contradictory meanings depending on where you are in the world. In Japan it is a symbol of perfection, nobility, immortality, and the sun. In China is symbolizes a long life, good fortune, joy, and loyalty. In the US it stands for joy, optimism, a long life, and happiness. However, in many European countries its meaning is of sympathy, grief, and death and is commonly used in funeral arrangements or placed on graves.
Did You Know?
Although we are celebrating them today, they are actually the birth flower of Noevember.
They also are the traditional flower for 13th Wedding Anniversaries.
There are over 20,000 varieties with 13 different forms including pompons, spiders and flat!
The world record for blooms on one stem is 4,351!
The tallest mum ever grown was 14 feet, 3inches tall!
If you are Down Under, make sure to give it to your Mum for Mothers Day.
We hope you enjoyed learning about the true Queen of Fall Flowers. As you stroll around this time of year, look around, and check them out, they are most of the color left!