Chrysanthemum

It is when the summer has lost its beauty and gone. While autumn turns into red, orange and yellow. When the sun refuses to shine and the rain drops are cold and damp. Just before all the deciduous trees are naked and bare….. It is when the Chrysanthemum flowers bloom. Roses declare themselves as the summer queens, but during the dreary days that follow, the Chrysanthemums are indeed the autumn queens……

The weather forecasts lately say that the temperatures will feel colder. Like last night, they said that today was going to be 14 deg. C in Melbourne, but would feel like 10 degrees, and it is true that it is cold today. This year the Chrysanthemums in our garden are not doing so good with only few flowers.

Chrysanthemum – Remembrance

Mother’s Day in Australia is celebrated every second Sunday of May, and around this time in Autumn, Chrysanthemums are blooming. Many use the flowers as a gift for their mothers on the special day. In China, Chrysanthemum is one of the four honourable plants next to Plum, Orchid and Bamboo. If you have a pot of Chrysanthemum, when it has finished flowering, plant it in the  garden to have more flowers every year. Looking and thinking about our blooming Chrysanthemums at the moment, I know why these flowers are perfect for mothers. The beauty of the prolific blooms remind me once again of my belated mother. All the good qualities of Chrysanthemums match those of my mother’s and all good mothers everywhere. Just look at Chrysanthemums in my garden. They are not fussy to grow and faithfully they always bloom year after year when the chill of Autum days make many other plants ready for their winter sleep. Chrysanthemum flowers are always abundant and long lasting and though many different colours, shapes and sizes; all of them are beautiful in their own way. Just the same as all good mothers, though they have many differrent shapes, sizes and colours, all of them are beautiful on their own way. As Chrysanthemums, good mothers are never fussy and easy to please. Good mothers are faithful, just like the Chrysanthemums that never forget to bloom every Autumn. Once flowering, Chrysanthemums are plentiful and generous, so are all good mothers of the world, they generously give all what they have. Chrysanthemums are long lasting flowers and it tells the dedication and love that a good mother gives to her children. Yes, the Chrysanthemums in my garden remind me of you, my beloved mother. I wished that I could pick a big bunch and presented them to you on the ground where you were laid to rest. Happy Mother’s Day, Mama…. You were the best.

To All Other Mothers:

Happy Mother’s Day!!

Other writings on Chrysanthemums: https://kiyanti2008.wordpress.com/2009/03/04/chrysantemum-the-mother%e2%80%99s-day-flower/ https://kiyanti2008.wordpress.com/2011/05/09/chrysanthemum-the-queen-of-autumn/

Chrysanthemum, the Queen of Autumn

How true it is that the rose is the queen of all flowers in summer time. But when the weather is cool and the wind is getting stronger and chillier in the autumn, it is when Chrysanthemums are blooming.  It is the time when leaves are falling and all summer blooms have disappeared and the sky is less cheerful, the queen of the autumn is showing its glory.

Chrysanthemum is one of my many favourite flowers. I love the bright colours that come in many different shades. They are long lasting and have nice strong herbal fragrance.

Both in China and Japan, Chrysanthemums signify a comfortable life and good fortune. People use the flowers as gifts and offering on altars. It is believed that Chrysanthemums have powerful Yang energy so they attract good luck inside homes and in the garden. The beauty of these flowers can be seen in many traditional paintings.

In Western culture, white Chrysanthemums signify the truth and sincerity, while the yellow ones are the symbol of tender affection and the red ones are for the expression of passionate love. As Chrysanthemums are abundant around Mother’s day, here in Australia they are regarded as Mother’s Day Flowers.

Link to previous blog on Chrysanthemums:

https://kiyanti2008.wordpress.com/2009/03/04/chrysantemum-the-mother%e2%80%99s-day-flower/

 

Chrysanthemum, The Mother’s Day Flower

I’m not sure about anywhere else, but in Australia Chrysanthemums are Mother’s day Flower (Mother’s day in Australia in the 2nd Sunday of May). My husband and son always give me potted Chrysanthemum flowers for Mother’s Day. I prefer the living chrysanthemums. This way I can stick them somewhere in the garden when they have finished flowering. I have a patch chrysanthemums plants that always flower every year.

Traditionally, white chrysanthemums are used for Mother’s Day presents. But for me I love the colourful ones. I’m not sure why they use chrysanthemums as Mother’s Day flowers, but I think because Mother’s Day is in May and during this month Chrysanthemums are in season, they are abundant and cheap. Maybe it is also because Chrysanthemums are long last thing flowers both in the garden and in flower arrangements.

Plant Details:

The botanic name is Dendranthema x grandiflora. There are about 40 species of chrysanthemums, mostly are from China, Japan and East Asia. Some are single petals, some double and the rare ones are so exotic and large they resemble a pompom, and some are spider shaped. To day many hybrids have been produced with magnificent brilliant shades of red, pink, salmon, yellow, orange, bronze and green. The sheer beauty and versatility of these flowers are the reason why the Chinese people have been growing them for 2,500 year. Chrysanthemums are also known as the national flower of Japan.

Planting guide:

The easiest and cheap way is to buy Chrysanthemums in pot and make sure when you buy them they have roots. You can check underneath the pot to see of there are some roots poking out through the drainage holes.

When the potted chrysanthemum has finish flowering, pick a sunny spot in the garden with reasonably rich and well drain soil. The best is you add compost into the soil. Take the plant out of the pot and plunge it into a hole that is slightly larger than the size of the pot. Cover it with soil and add more compost on the top. It will die down, but if alive, it will promise you more flowers each year when they are in season. They are hardy, even during the draught. What they need when they started to grow is a little bit of complete fertilizer. If you prefer short compact bush, then pinch the top when they start to grow leaves in December (in Australia). After few years, you can dig up the plants and divide them. They are very easy to grow and practically disease free.

 

Usage:

• Flower arrangement: long lasting and provide many different sizes, shapes and colour. Today, the flowers are available all year around as they are hybridized and cultivated in green houses. Naturally they flower in late summer through autumn.
• Chrysanthemum tea. It is made from the species called Chrysanthemum morifolium or indicum. It is a popular beverage in East Asia. The tea is available in dry form or in powder. The dried flowers are brewed in a teapot or in a cup with a bit of rock sugar, normal sugar or honey. The hot water is perfect around 90 degrees C or slightly cooled after boiling. It is believed that Chrysanthemum tea has a cooling effect in a hot day.
• Medicinal purposes: It helps to relieve symptoms of influenza. Also used for sore throat and to reduce fever. Some believe the tea is good for alertness to keep you from falling asleep. In western herbal medicine it is used to treat circulatory disorders like varicose veins and atherosclerosis. The tea is also good to keep healthy eyes with sharp vision and treat dry eyes. 
• Natural Insect Repellent: White Chrysanthemum Tanacetum cinerarriaefolium flowers produce a natural insecticide called pyrethrum. It provides safe fast acting insecticide to kill most insect pests. Non toxic to human and warm blooded animals and easy to break down in sunlight to prevent build up in environment.

Note: It has been very dry here in Melbourne this summer, so I’m not really confident that the chrysanthemums in my garden will have good flowers this year, and currently we are under 3A water restrictions here. There was a good rain last night after almost 3 months without any rain. Hopefully there will be much more rains so that they will bear reaonably good flowers this year.