What are the common varieties of chrysanthemums? A detailed guide to their characteristics and care methods

Chrysanthemums are fairly common flowers in everyday life, especially during the Spring Festival in China, when they can be seen everywhere, both outdoors and indoors. These brightly colored chrysanthemums come in many varieties, did you know? Besides the chrysanthemums seen in spring, which chrysanthemums can you also see in summer? Below we introduce several chrysanthemum varieties that can be seen in summer.

1. Cosmos

Also known as autumn cosmos, it is a perennial herbaceous plant often seen along roadsides or by streams. Its light green leaves have darker stripes crossing through them, and the flowers come in quite a few colors, including white, red and purple. The petals are outward-curling tongue-shaped, and the flower centers are mostly yellow and tubular.

2. Strawflower

The strawflower plant has fine downy hairs, and its leaves are lance-shaped and elongated. The flowers grow at the tips of the branches and are umbrella-shaped. The flower colors include red, white and pink, with many petals that give a strong sense of layering. It has good phototropism and is commonly planted in flower beds.

3. Marigold

This chrysanthemum has very upright stems, with branches spreading flat and growing upward. Its flowering period is long, and the petals are mostly yellow and orange, with a yellow tubular corolla and slender lines adorning the petals. This is a common landscaping plant, so it is often seen in flower beds, and it is also a famous flower in floral recipes.

4. Peacock chrysanthemum

This is the most widely cultivated chrysanthemum variety produced through hybridization techniques, often used as an accent in bouquets. Its leaves are lance-shaped and oval, and its branches and foliage are fairly dense. It propagates very quickly and can achieve a full-pot effect. The flowers are not large but the colors are vivid, making it a chrysanthemum variety valued for both its flowers and foliage.

5. China aster

This is the most widely used chrysanthemum variety in everyday life, suitable for vase arrangements, potted plants, cut flowers, landscaping and more, and it is a must-choose flower for landscape potted plants. The flower heads have many layers, with an oval outer part, and the petals near the flower center are relatively short and small, giving a transparent visual effect.

6. Care methods

1. Causes of disease. There are several reasons chrysanthemums develop diseases, namely excessive humidity in the space, insufficient light, a poorly ventilated placement location, and too great a temperature difference between day and night. If you want to control the occurrence of disease, you can make adjustments in these areas.

2. Pruning. During the process of seedlings growing to maturity, many side buds appear, and these side buds can seriously affect the growth of the chrysanthemum, so they should be pruned away in time. When pruning, be careful not to cut off the flower buds.

3. Light. Potted chrysanthemums change with the surrounding environment, and when there is sufficient light, it can stimulate the flowering rate of chrysanthemums.

Chrysanthemums have very strong sprouting ability, and a single chrysanthemum plant can produce several hundred flower buds. Moreover, chrysanthemums have carried profound symbolic meaning since ancient times in China, so it is recommended that you grow a pot at home to enjoy.