Chrysanthemums

Scientific Name

<>        Dendranthema grandiflorum is the botanical name for the cultivated chrysanthemum.  It was formerly known as Chrysanthemum morifolium.

Origin

Chrysanthemums originated from China, where many different types have been grown for over 1400 years.  Hybrid chrysanthemums have been grown in Korea and Japan for over 1200 years. Cultivation in Europe started in the 18th century.

Botany

Chrysanthemum is a member of Asteraceae, the large aster family that includes the common sunflower, zinnia, and coneflowers. The modern day chrysanthemums are complex hybrids, involving Dendranthema indicum and D. japonicum as possible ancestors.  The flower “head” is composed of disc florets in the center and ray florets on the outer edge.

<>Classification by Flower Types

Depending on the shape and arrangement of ray as well as disc florets on the head, chrysanthemum flowers are classified into eight different classes: daisy, anemone, quilled, spoon, decorative, spider, incurved, reflex, and pompons. In this display, the reflex and pompon flower types are not included.