Where did the works add up from ? And are mums really comestible ? Get the full exclusive on autumn ’s favorite flower .

For many of us , chrysanthemumsare the unofficial flowers of evenfall . As the air turns crisp , I make love to see their fiery - colorise petals on walk around the neighborhood or trips to the grocery store . And of course , set out a few sens of mumson my porch is a descent tradition . But did you screw this classic flower has a long , rich story ? Keep these 7 fun facts in intellect as you ’re picking out and planting your fall mums this twelvemonth .

1. Mums Were First Grown in China

Chrysanthemums have been around for a long time ; they were originally cultivate in China , and were first recorded in save over 3,000 year ago . The plant was believed to have medicinal property ; for example , the boiled roots were used as a therapeutic for head ache .

It ’s also one of the four baronial industrial plant in Formosan culture , along with plum blossom , orchids , andbamboo . Celebrated in ancient picture and poems , the plants lay out the four seasons , as well as human virtues ( with chrysanthemum represent fall and aristocracy ) .

2. “Chrysanthemum” Comes from Ancient Greek

The English name for this plant , " chrysanthemum " has its rootage in the ancient Greek langugage . Chrysos translate to " gold " ( a nod to the many prosperous miscellany of the works ) and anthemon means " flush . "

3. Mums Have Many Different Meanings

Depending on where you last , mums ’ symbolization can be all dissimilar . In some parts of the earth , include much of the United States , chrysanthemum are associated with pleasure and optimism . However , in many European land , including France , Belgium , and Spain , chrysanthemums are associated with death and are often given at funerals or placed on grave to honor the dead .

mammy are so idolise in Japan , the country celebrates National Chrysanthemum Day every year in September . a vacation that ’s also known as the fete of happiness .

4. There Are Thousands of Varieties of Mums

Although gold Dendranthema grandifloruom are an especially vulgar , pop colour for mums , it ’s far from your only option . There are one thousand of variety , including red , orange , white , pink , and violet mama . you may also find plenty of different heyday forms ; while button mums are one of the most plebeian , you may feel windflower , quilled , spider , spoon , and pompon varieties .

5. Mums are a Major Homecoming Tradition in America

Students in Texas and other region of the South have long worn mums to mark the Clarence Day of the homecoming football game secret plan — a custom that dates back at least 100 years . to begin with , students wore corsages made out of clean mums , but as the supplement has gotten larger and more elaborate , most people now wear silk versions of the heyday .

6. (Some) Mums Are Edible

Can you eat mums ? Yes , with some important caveat . Chrysanthemum tea leaf is a popular drinkbrewed with the flowers from the plant . It ’s especially democratic in China , and is made with the dry out flower heads . The leaves are also edible , and can be added to salads or cooked like other leafy vegetable . But do n’t commence plucking your works for culinary exercise ; if you want to try chrysanthemum tea or leaves , it ’s good to look for eatable leaves or a Camellia sinensis mix at an Asiatic market so you know that the plants have n’t been treated with any pesticide or chemical that would make them unsafe to eat .

7. Chemicals from the Plant Are Used in Insecticides

You might ’ve heard before that chrysanthemums canrepel pesky insects such as mosquitoes . regrettably , just planting a dyad of mum wo n’t free you of mosquitoes , but oil extracted from the flowers of sure chrysanthemum metal money has been used in insecticides for one C . Look for Dalmatian pyrethrum in the list of ingredients on your bug spray ; it ’s one of the most pop factor in natural insect repellant .

" November Birth Flower : Chrysanthemum . “PennState Extension .

Youssef Fadia S. , et al .   " Chrysanthemum indicumandChrysanthemum morifolium : Chemical Composition of Their Essential Oils and Their Potential Use as Natural Preservatives with Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities . “Foods , vol . 9,no.10 , 2020 , pp . 1460 . doi:10.3390 / foods9101460

detail of colorful chrysanthemum blooms

Credit: Carson Downing

Chikutōexpand_more N. Four gentleman , Nakabayashi Chikutō ^ Minneapolis Institute of Art . MIA . access August 1 , 2024 . https://collections.artsmia.org/art/117812/four-gentlemen-nakabayashi-chikuto .

" Natural Insecticides . “Montana State Unversity .

yellow spider chrysanthemum ‘Lava’ variation

This spider type mum cultivar called ‘Lava’ resembles a firework caught mid burst.Credit: Brie Williams

close up of purple mums

Credit: Bob Stefko