The chrysanthemum, also known as the mum, is a flowering perennial plant of
the genus Chrysanthemum in the daisy family (Asteraceae).
The genus has been split into several genera, such as Dendranthema, Leucanthemum
and Tanacetum. But there is a growing consensus to merge back Dendranthema into
Chrysanthemum.
Chrysanthemum species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera
species including Cabbage Moth, Common Swift, Ghost Moth, The Gothic, Large
Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character and Turnip Moth.
History
Chrysanthemums can be yellow, white, or even bright red, such as
these.Chrysanthemums were cultivated in China as a flowering herb as far back as
the 15th century BCE. An ancient Chinese city was named Chu-Hsien, meaning
"chrysanthemum city". The flower was introduced into Japan probably in the 8th
century CE, and the Emperor adopted the flower as his official seal. There is a
"Festival of Happiness" in Japan that celebrates the flower.
The flower was brought to the Western World in the 17th century. It was named by
Carolus Linnaeus from the Greek prefix chrys-, which means golden (the colour of
the original flowers), and -anthemon, meaning flower.
Ornamental uses
Modern chrysanthemums are much more showy than their ancient relatives. The
flowers occur in various forms, and can be daisy-like, decorative, pompons or
buttons. This genus contains many hybrids developed for horticultural purposes.
In addition to the traditional yellow, other colours are available, such as
white, purple, and red.
In some countries of Europe and in Japan, chrysanthemums are symbolic of death
and are only used for funerals or on graves. In the United States, the flower is
usually seen as more positive and cheerful.
Food uses
Chrysanthemum flowers are boiled to make a sweet drink
in some parts of Asia. The resulting beverage is known simply as "chrysanthemum
tea". Chrysanthemum tea has many medicinal uses, including an aid in recovery
from influenza.
The leaves of several species are edible, and in particular C. coronarium (the
crown daisy or garland chrysanthemum) is grown commercially in East Asia as a
leaf vegetable, known as tung ho (Chinese: ??; pinyin: tónghao) or shungiku. In China, the greens are often stir-fried simply with
garlic and dried chile peppers. The color of the cooked greens is dark, their
texture dense and mucilaginous, and their flavour fragrant and complex.
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NOVEMBER BIRTH MONTH FLOWER: THE MUM
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