Chrysanthemum

Asters are flowering plants that are mostly native to subtropical and temperate parts of the Old World. The genus Chrysanthemum is made up of about 40 species. A lot of chrysanthemums grow in East Asia, which is also where they are often shown in art. Many of them are also used as decorations.

Describe the physical

Most of the plants in this group are perennial herbs or subshrubs. A lot of them have simple, fragrant leaves that grow in pairs along the stem. They have disk flowers and ray flowers in their heads, but some don’t have either at all. Species that are grown in gardens and mixtures tend to have big flower heads, while wild species have much smaller ones.

Important species and uses

Many planted species, which are often called “mums,” are grown as fall decorations and play an important role in the flower business. It’s called Chrysanthemum morifolium and it comes in more than 100 different types, such as button, pompon, daisy, and spider shapes.

The dried flowers of florists’ chrysanthemum or Dendranthema indicum (formerly C. indicum) are usually used to make chrysanthemum tea. It has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine. People with high blood pressure often use it as a natural treatment, and it is also said to help with fevers, headaches, and inflammation.

The pyrethrum daisy (C. cinerariifolium), also known as Dalmation pellitory, flower heads that have been ground up are one of the main places where the insecticide pyrethrum comes from. This plant is used in organic gardening. A lot of different kinds of Chrysanthemum contain pyrethrin compounds, and they are often grown as “companion plants” to keep insects away from eating or decorating plants that are weak against them.

Past species

The genus’s naming is controversial and has been changed many times. Certain plants, like the corn marigold (Glebionis segetum), the feverfew (T. parthenium), the tansy (T. vulgare), the Marguerite or Paris daisy (Argyranthemum frutescens), and the Shasta daisy (hybrid forms of Leucanthemum maximum), used to be in the genus Chrysanthemum.

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