Chrysanthemum flowers - summer, red, double

Among the existing flowers, only the rose can surpass the chrysanthemum in terms of prevalence. In late autumn, when all other flowers wither, she generally becomes the queen of the garden. Chrysanthemums have been known since time immemorial. In China, they were cultivated already in the days of Confucius.

In Japan, the flower, which is a symbol of longevity, received divine veneration and even became an element of imperial heraldry, like lilies in France and roses among the British.

Chrysanthemums in Japan

Chrysanthemum is very popular for its decorative use as it can decorate balconies, gardens, home interiors with its unique charm.

What does a chrysanthemum look like

The genus Chrysanthemum belongs to the Asteraceae family. By the way the chrysanthemum looks, one can confuse it with the genus Bellis, to which the daisy belongs. However, the size of the flowers, the thickness of the petals, the smell, the size of the plant and the shape of the leaves are completely different in both species, although they both belong to the same family.

In the description of a chrysanthemum, flowers are the main thing, but without the characteristics of the whole plant, it will be incomplete. It is a small flowering shrub with a common trunk, very deciduous at the upper end. The plant can be annual and perennial, medium size, can reach 1.5 m in height.

Leaves are ovoid or lanceolate, serrated or lobed, 4 to 9 cm long, 4 to 6 cm wide, their color varies from light green to dark green with a slight grayish tinge, sometimes pubescent. As a rule, they have a bitter aroma.

Description of the flower

Chrysanthemum flowers have different colors: white, golden, yellow, pink, orange, etc.

Flowering occurs in late summer or autumn, even in November. Although under artificial conditions, year-round flowering can be stimulated.

Inflorescences have the shape of a basket. Petals, or more correctly, female ligulate flowers, can be rounded, grouped in the form of a cap, or be found only along the edges of the central dense clusters of small hermaphroditic tubular flowers. Basket inflorescences, which in some species reach 20 cm in diameter, have flat, solid, laminated, straight or curved petals, twisted at the ends, etc. There are also low-growing varieties, whose heads are relatively small, with yellow, purple, white and orange petals. This is a Korean chrysanthemum.

The chrysanthemum flower is so attractive for its beauty and variety that there are techniques for creating artificial flowers, for example, from corrugated paper or crocheted.

What chrysanthemum inflorescences are, can be seen on the example of one of the classifications adopted in Europe:

1. Simple. Consists of one or two rows of radial ligulate flowers with central tubular flowers. The inflorescence resembles a chamomile;

Simple chrysanthemum inflorescence

2. Anemones. Similar to simple, but with concentric elongated tubular flowers. The color of the radial and concentric flowers can be the same or not;

Anemone inflorescence

3. Spherical. In the inflorescence, the radial flowers bend inward;

Spherical inflorescence

4. Terry. Inflorescences are round, with flowers curving outward and downward;
5. Semi-double. Up to five rows of radial flowers per inflorescence, central disc prominent;
6. Hemispherical.They resemble globular, but with shorter petals;
7. Lucid. Radial flowers are tubular.

Lucid inflorescence

8. Pompons. Spherical in shape, without concentric flowers, only with short and uniform radial petals;
9. Flat. They look like pompons, but the outer rows of flowers are longer than the central ones, which gives the inflorescence a flat irregular shape;

Flat inflorescence

10. Curly. External flowers in a ball-shaped inflorescence bend outward, central ones - inward.

Curly inflorescence

How chrysanthemum grows

Chrysanthemum has long been successfully cultivated in Russia, as a garden plant, it can be grown in a pot on the balcony, as well as at home.

The root is powerful, prone to overgrowth, buried in the soil by 0.25-0.3 m. Stems are straight, grow more often in the form of a bush.

Step-by-step instructions for growing chrysanthemums with your own hands:

1. Plants do not tolerate nearby groundwater, so it is better to plant them on a hill;
2. These flowers love the sun, but they suffer from direct sunlight during and after planting. Therefore, it is recommended to plant young seedlings in the morning or evening, on a cloudy or slightly cloudy day. In sunny weather, after planting, the plants should be watered and then shaded with an artificial screen.

3. During planting, a drainage layer is laid to a depth of 35-40 cm: broken bricks, gravel, coarse river sand. The soil for chrysanthemums is often mixed with vermicompost in a ratio of 18: 1 or 20: 1;
4. The root system is usually parallel to the ground, so it is recommended to plant large varieties at a distance of at least half a meter from each other. Low-growing flowers can be planted to a depth of 25-35 cm;
5. It is not difficult to care for chrysanthemums, but compliance with certain standards is necessary. For irrigation, it is recommended to use settled rainwater, irrigate regularly, about 2 times a week;
6. Light should be moderate, especially in the morning.

7. When caring for plants during the flowering period, they must be fertilized every 2 weeks with liquid preparations, which should contain potassium and phosphorus;

8. When cutting off the tips of the shoots, the chrysanthemum bush grows in width. Withered shoots are regularly removed.

For the winter, heat-loving chrysanthemums are transplanted into specially prepared containers, after cutting off the stems to 25 cm.The temperature in the room should be about 5 ° C. In the spring, when young shoots appear, they begin to be watered carefully. Frost-resistant species are left in the soil when pruning the stems almost to the root. They are covered with wooden boxes, throwing a covering on top.

What are chrysanthemums

Chrysanthemum species are complex hybrids that produce many varieties with different characteristics in terms of shape, size and color. Some varieties are united by color, others are grouped according to their place of origin, and others according to their resistance to different types of climate.

Red

Red chrysanthemum is not classified as a separate species. This coloration can be present in different species. The most ancient ones come from China. They have been grown there for over 3000 years. In Catholic Europe, these flowers are widely used to celebrate All Saints' Day. A branch of such a chrysanthemum is considered the best option for a gift to loved ones.

Red chrysanthemum

Terry

Terry is called chrysanthemum, which has inflorescences of a certain shape. Various varieties also belong to this type. Its inflorescence is round, fluffy, flowers can be slightly twisted and bend down or towards the central part.

Terry chrysanthemum

Large-flowered

Chrysanthemums are considered large if the diameter of the inflorescence is 10 cm or more. They have low resistance to frost; they do not leave plants in the open field for the winter.

Excel

Shrub species with strong stems. Inflorescences in the form of a ball with a diameter of 9-12 cm of white-pink color;

Evelyn Bush

White terry inflorescence with an average diameter of 90 mm. Looks very elegant. The height of the bush is 50-80 cm. It blooms from August until frost. Flowers tolerate frost down to -3 ° C.

Chrysanthemum Evelyn Bush

Zlata Prague

Hemispherical inflorescence of reddish-golden color. Blooms in August. Height - up to 1 m. The bush grows quickly with strong peduncles and dark green leaves.

Chrysanthemum Zlata Prague

Small-flowered

In temperate climates, the predominant property of small chrysanthemums is their frost resistance. The bushes are immediately planted at a constant distance, between them - 30-40 cm. For small chrysanthemums, abundant flowering is characteristic. It is better to decorate gardens and backyards with them than to use them for cutting. Inflorescences can be simple and double. Diameter is about 3 cm.

Multiflora

Shrub of low growth, regular spherical shape. Its height rarely exceeds 50 cm. The colors of these chrysanthemums are distinguished by great variety and brightness. The leaves are small, invisible under dozens of inflorescences.

Chrysanthemum Multiflora

Ida

One of the subspecies of Multiflora with similar characteristics. Inflorescences in the form of pompons of pinkish-lilac shades.

Chrysanthemum Ida

Lush chrysanthemums

Varieties of fluffy chrysanthemums are especially in demand among gardeners.

Astroid

This is a variety of lush chrysanthemums, with a yellow hemisphere-shaped inflorescence and a high stem (70-80 cm). Refers to single-headed plants. The flowers are dense, with a bend towards the center of the inflorescence.

Chrysanthemum Astroid

Bowl

Another single-headed variety with a spherical white inflorescence (12-15 cm in diameter), turning into pale green tones closer to the center.

Chrysanthemum Bowl

Other popular varieties include the Stadium, or more correctly Stallion chrysanthemum. This is one of the most unpretentious plants. The inflorescence resembles an anemone, small flowers are white, yellowish, pinkish.

Chrysanthemum Stallion

Colored, or tricolor, chrysanthemums (botanical name - Crysanthemum tricolor or Crysanthemum carinatum) originated from Morocco. Bushes can be up to 60 cm high and 30 cm wide. Leaves are numerous, fleshy. Blooms in summer or autumn. What do the flowers of such a chrysanthemum look like? The inflorescence is simple, but has a very original color, forming a combination of multi-colored concentric circles.

Crysanthemum tricolor

By the time of flowering, summer, or early, chrysanthemum stands out. It blooms when the average day and night temperature reaches 15 ° C. For example, daytime - 25 ° C, and nighttime - 10 ° C. In Russia it is July-August. Most of the early blooming are Korean chrysanthemums.

Each grower has a favorite flower, a rose or lily, chamomile or gladiolus, but almost everyone is delighted with chrysanthemums. A variety of shapes and colors that are unique in their own way for a certain variety, unpretentious care, flowering until the very frost provide chrysanthemums with popularity, which only grows over time.