Origin and Distribution
The name of the extremely diverse flower comes from the Greek and means something like "golden flower". In fact, the wild forms have the chrysanthemum mainly yellow to yellow-orange flowers. The species and varieties bred over the last two millennia - including many hybrids - are very varied in terms of colors and shapes.
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The chrysanthemum originally comes from East Asia, where it was or was very popular, especially in China and Japan. it still is today. Due to its very late flowering just before the beginning of winter and its durability, it is a symbol of endurance and Strength - no wonder then that the Chinese emperor continued to cultivate it as an imperial flower in his gardens until 1911 let breed.
The first Asian cultivated forms did not reach Europe until the middle of the 19th century. Century.
use
Chrysanthemums are mainly used as ornamental plants in beds and borders, but also in pots and other planters. They bring color into the garden or on the balcony when all other plants have long withered and withered. For this reason, the selection of suitable planting partners is not too large: The Autumn flowers but go very well with evergreen plants, grasses such as switchgrass, Feather grass or Chinese reeds or bushes and robust perennials such as Sedum plant, Purple bells, Catnip or curry herb. However, chrysanthemums come into their own as luscious soloists, either individually or in the company of different sorts.
Appearance and stature
The genus, which includes around 40 species, belongs to the Asteraceae family. As such, they often grow as woody subshrubs or bushes, some chrysanthemum species, on the other hand, have a rather herbaceous growth. The varieties that we often cultivate are between 40 and 100 centimeters high on average and are between half a meter and one meter wide. The bushes are typically densely branched and, depending on the type and variety, can take on hemispherical shapes.
leaves
The green foliage leaves are arranged alternately in all species and varieties, but sometimes differ considerably in their shape. They can be feathered or feathered, lobed, palmate, entire or toothed. What all chrysanthemums have in common is that they keep their foliage through winter and that they do not take on an autumn color.
Blossoms and flowering period
Chrysanthemums are characterized by the late flowering period, which does not begin until September and often reaches well into October or even November. The color palette of the cup-shaped, filled, half-filled or simple inflorescences is immense: there are white, yellow, orange and pink, red and purple variants that have both very large and small flowers form. Large-flowered chrysanthemums develop flowers twelve or more centimeters in diameter, while small-flowered varieties show pretty flowers about five to six centimeters in size. But whether big or small: All chrysanthemums bloom as profusely as they are long-lasting, with the individual blooms being very durable.
fruit
Those in hardware stores, garden centers, etc. available chrysanthemums are usually sterile and do not produce fruits. However, if you leave the faded inflorescences of some species such as the autumn chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum indicum) on the shrub, tiny achenes, not even two millimeters in size, mature. These are the seeds of these species that can be used for propagation.
Toxic or Edible?
Whether the chrysanthemum in your garden is poisonous and therefore dangerous for children and pets largely depends on the type and variety. Some, such as the Tanacetum species, also known as winter aster or wildflower, contain one as Pyrethrum is a toxin that is used in insect repellants due to its effectiveness. With the help of this poison, the plants protect themselves from predators, which is why both humans and animals must be careful. Consumption of poisonous chrysanthemums leads to unpleasant or even severe symptoms of poisoning such as cramps, stomach and intestinal problems, diarrhea and vomiting.
Other types of chrysanthemum, on the other hand, are used as tea or aromatic plants. You can use both the flowers (for tea) and the young leaves (for salads) of the so-called edible chrysanthemums. The only annual Chrysanthemum coronarium, which is also known as lettuce chrysanthemum, is used for this purpose.
If you want to grow chrysanthemums for lettuce, you should grow the plants yourself from seeds. Finished, purchased plants are usually treated with pesticides and other toxic substances and are therefore not released for consumption.
Which location is suitable?
The beautiful flowers of the different types of chrysanthemums only develop when the days get shorter and the temperatures drop. For a lush flowering, the plants therefore need a bright, but rather cool location with temperatures below 25 ° C. If it is too warm for them, they only set a few or even no flowers. For the same reason, the flowers feel particularly comfortable in semi-shaded to light-shaded locations, while they threaten to dry up quickly in full sun.
floor
As heavy consumers, chrysanthemums have a high nutritional requirement and should therefore be planted in nutrient-rich, humus-rich and rather fresh soil. Although the root balls of the plant should not dry out, waterlogging is just as dangerous and causes the plant to die. You should therefore prefer a loose and well-drained soil, which you can fill with compost or if necessary Mother Earth improve.
Pot culture
Chrysanthemums are very comfortable in a pot culture as long as they receive the necessary attention and care. The plants should be watered once or twice a week with well-stale tap water or rainwater, at which point still damp root balls do not need water. During the flowering period, chrysanthemums are not fertilized; instead, move the plants to winter quarters from the first frost. If necessary, repotting in fresh substrate is carried out in spring, and sufficient nutrition is ideally provided with liquid fertilizer during the growing season.
Planting the chrysanthemum properly
Before planting, place the chrysanthemums in a bucket of water so that the root ball can soak up the moisture. In the meantime, dig a planting hole that is about twice the size of the root ball itself. Sludge this well and mix the excavated material with a shovel Compost soil and a handful Horn shavings.(€ 32.93 at Amazon *) Plant the bush up to the root neck - this will help it survive the winter better - and tie it to a support rod if necessary. This help is particularly useful for tall species and varieties so that they do not bend over.
What is the best time to plant?
Chrysanthemums are usually bought in autumn, because this is when the selection is particularly large. However, do not plant these specimens in the bed yet, as they would hardly survive the winter. The optimal planting date is a mild day in spring or early summer, when the last nights of frost are over. Now the plants have enough time to take root in their new location and to gain sufficient winter hardiness for the cold season.
The correct planting distance
In general, a planting distance of between 50 and 75 centimeters is recommended, although the large varieties naturally require more space than the smaller ones.
Watering chrysanthemum
In contrast to pot cultures, you usually do not need to water planted chrysanthemums. Exceptions are dry and hot phases, for example in midsummer.
Fertilize the chrysanthemum properly
Fertilize They planted chrysanthemums twice a year with compost and horn shavings or a mixture of nettle and Comfrey manure. The first fertilization is carried out as boost fertilization in early spring, the second in early summer between the end of May and the end of June.
Cut the chrysanthemum correctly
The right time to prune is early spring, when the temperatures are milder and the first tender shoots sprout from the ground. Now remove all withered, dead or frozen branches. In addition, chrysanthemums are easy to prune back during the summer, which promotes branching, dense growth. With age, the plants grow more and more in width and, with good care, often set more flowers.
Chrysanthemum Propagate
The best way to propagate chrysanthemums is by dividing them or by cuttings from the head. Dig up large bushes in spring and carefully divide them into two or more sub-shrubs. Head cuttings, on the other hand, are cut in June or July, for which you choose around ten to 15 centimeters long, still soft shoots. Plant these in small, nutrient-poor pots Growing substrate(€ 12.99 at Amazon *) and keep them slightly moist. As a rule, the cuttings take root within a few weeks and can then be put in a pot Humus soil implemented. However, do not plant these young chrysanthemums until the following spring at the earliest.
Overwinter
In principle, planted chrysanthemums can overwinter outside, but they need winter protection. Spread a thick layer of leaves and straw over the root area, which you can pile up directly on the main shoot. If it is very cold with minus degrees in the double-digit range, you should also cover the bushes with spruce and fir branches. Under no circumstances cut back the withered plants in autumn, as the drying shoots provide additional protection from the cold.
Diseases and pests
A typical disease is white chrysanthemum rust, which is noticeable by up to two centimeters in size, white to yellow spots on the upper side of the leaves. On the other hand, pustules covered with a flour-like fluff develop on the underside. Cut back the diseased parts of the plant with clean, sharp scissors and treat the plant with a suitable fungicide.
As for pests, the leaf miners in particular have taken a liking to chrysanthemums. The tiny insects drill holes in the leaves and lay their eggs in them. The larvae that hatch from it eventually eat their way through the leaves, so that these are criss-crossed by numerous passages. Leafminer flies are very easy to drive away with pesticides based on neem. However, heavily infested parts of the plant must be cut back.
Chrysanthemum not blooming, what to do?
If chrysanthemums do not want to bloom, then most likely they have not received enough nutrients. Pot chrysanthemums in particular depend on a regular supply of nutrients and, if this is not done, shed their buds. Incorrect watering and a location that is too dark are common causes of the lack of flowers.
Tips
Those who celebrate their birthday in autumn can look forward to a colorful bouquet of chrysanthemums. The flowers not only last a long time in the vase, they also promise a long life in the language of flowers.
Species and varieties
There are around 40 different types of chrysanthemums, of course not all of them as garden or garden plants. Ornamental plants are usable. However, nobody really knows the exact number of varieties - estimates claim that around 12,000 different varieties have been bred over the last few centuries. After all, it is a very old cultivated plant that dates back to the 11th century. Century in China in gardens was cultivated and purposefully bred.
The autumn chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum indicum) and the gold-and-silver chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum pacificum) are of particular interest for the garden margarite-like Chrysanthemum zawadzkii and the garden chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum × morifolium), the latter being mainly hybrid Cultivated forms. For gardening enthusiasts, however, the names of the species are less important than the names of the varieties.
If you also want to plant the perennials in the garden, you should definitely use winter-hardy variants. Care should be taken when buying, because the plants are usually offered without a specific variety name. If you want to be on the safe side, you should therefore choose precisely named varieties from specialist retailers, such as a specialized perennial nursery.
The most beautiful chrysanthemum varieties for beds and pots:
- 'Gigi White': double, white-yellow flowers
- 'Rotes Julchen': double, dark pink flowers
- 'Vianna Cream': large pompom flowers in bright yellow, only for the pot
- 'Hue': small, green pompom flowers
- 'Inga': large, multi-colored flowers with a white border, a yellow core and a green center
- 'Victor Rowe': large, deep yellow and double flowers
- 'Poetry': yellow center framed by numerous white ray-flowers
- 'Goldmarie': golden yellow, semi-double flowers
- 'Mei-Kyo': pink-violet pompom flowers
- 'White Bouquet': white pompom flowers
- 'Schwabenstolz': double, dark red flowers
- 'Yellow Satellite': spider-like, lemon-colored flowers
- 'Emperor of China': double pink flowers
- 'Goldmarianne': bright yellow ray-flowers in the yellow center
- 'Vymini': bright yellow ray-florets in the dark center
- 'Palm Green': a particularly unusual and eye-catching variety with a grass-green flower
- 'Anastasia': small, pink-violet pompom flowers, low growth
- 'Ceddie Mason': semi-double, deep wine-red flowers with a yellow center
- 'Golden Orfe': large, densely filled and bright golden yellow flowers
- 'Little Amber': semi-double, apricot-colored flowers with a yellow center
