Chrysanthemum 'COUSIN JOAN' chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum

Genus Chrysanthemum comprises dozens of species originally widespread in Asia, especially in China and Japan. The scientific name derives from Greek: chrysos = gold, anthemon = flower. Fossil records show that the genus is millions of years old, but the first botanical descriptions appeared in Europe in the 18th century, when plants were brought by travelers and missionaries. Chrysanthemums reached North America in 1790 thanks to the French botanist André Michaux. The cornerstone of most garden cultivars is Chrysanthemum indicum, first scientifically described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 in his Species Plantarum. Modern breeding often focuses on short‑term decorative effect – plants are sold as potted ornaments for a single season and behave like annuals. They are easily recognized by their dense, globular shape and striking colours. Garden cultivars intended for permanent planting have a loose habit, flower gradually, and are labeled as hardy.

From preserved works and records it is clear that chrysanthemum ranks among the oldest cultivated plants – it was grown as early as the Shang dynasty (China, c. 15th century BC). In the 11th century AD, it was included in China among the “Four Noble Plants” (together with bamboo, plum, and orchid), symbolizing the seasons, with chrysanthemum representing autumn. Beyond ornamental use, the flowers were brewed into teas, young leaves eaten as a vegetable, and flower heads sometimes pickled in vinegar. Between the 5th and 8th centuries AD chrysanthemum was introduced to Japan, where it quickly became a symbol of the imperial family – already in the Nara period (710–794) it appears in literature and on seals. In the 14th century it was officially recognized as the emblem of the imperial house, and the national “Festival of Chrysanthemums” (Kiku no Sekku) was established as a celebration of longevity and renewal. Chrysanthemums reached Europe via trade routes from China and Japan in the 17th–18th centuries, first in the Netherlands and then in England, where systematic breeding began.