Chrysanthemum
CHRYSANTHEMUM
Blooms: Fall- September (Japanese floral calendar) November (English calendar)
Language
Cheerfulness, optimism (Victorian)
Rest & Ease (Chinese)
Long Life & Happiness (Japanese)
red chrysanthemum-love
white- death, lamentation
yellow- slighted love
Emblem
Imperial Symbol of Japan
City flower of Chicago (1961)
American Muiscal fraternity Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
Triangle Fraternity, a society of engineers, architects, and scientists. (white)
Mythology/ Folklore
The legend of how chrysanthemum came to Japan: The empire of Japan was born when a shipload of twelve maidens and twelve young men from China set out to find the “herb of youth” which kept people eternally young. They carried the baskets of chrysanthemums to trade for this herb. After many weeks at sea, their ship wrecked near an uninhabited island. They swam to the shore, planted the chrysanthemums, and settled down to build an empire. Japan's imperial coat of arms shows a sixteen-petaled golden chrysanthemum.
In some countries of Europe (France, Italy, Poland, Croatia etc), white chrysanthemums are symbolic of death and are only used for funerals or on graves. Similarly, in China, Japan and Korea, white chrysanthemums are symbolic of lamentation and/or grief.
Blooms: Fall- September (Japanese floral calendar) November (English calendar)
Language
Cheerfulness, optimism (Victorian)
Rest & Ease (Chinese)
Long Life & Happiness (Japanese)
red chrysanthemum-love
white- death, lamentation
yellow- slighted love
Emblem
Imperial Symbol of Japan
City flower of Chicago (1961)
American Muiscal fraternity Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
Triangle Fraternity, a society of engineers, architects, and scientists. (white)
Mythology/ Folklore
The legend of how chrysanthemum came to Japan: The empire of Japan was born when a shipload of twelve maidens and twelve young men from China set out to find the “herb of youth” which kept people eternally young. They carried the baskets of chrysanthemums to trade for this herb. After many weeks at sea, their ship wrecked near an uninhabited island. They swam to the shore, planted the chrysanthemums, and settled down to build an empire. Japan's imperial coat of arms shows a sixteen-petaled golden chrysanthemum.
In some countries of Europe (France, Italy, Poland, Croatia etc), white chrysanthemums are symbolic of death and are only used for funerals or on graves. Similarly, in China, Japan and Korea, white chrysanthemums are symbolic of lamentation and/or grief.
History/ Modern Use
Very ancient plants, as Confucius wrote about them in 500 B.C. Chrysanthemums were always great favorites of the noble class, and in China, up until recently, common folks were not allowed to grow them in their gardens.
Chrysanthemum seeds came to Japan via Korea in the fourth century, and in AD 910, Japan held its first imperial Chrysanthemum Show and declared this the National flower.
Chrysanthemums were first introduced to Europe in 1688, and to the US in 1897. Although their reception there was not enthusiastic initially, it soon gained popularity.
Chrysanthemum petals are quite tasty and are particularly good added to cream soups or salads. Blanch them but don't cook them for too long as that makes them bitter.
The Chrysanthemum was brought to Japan by Buddhist monks in AD 400. Japanese emperors so loved the Chrysanthemum flower that they sat upon Chrysanthemum thrones.
Literature/Arts
In Japan the chrysanthemum is also a metaphor for homosexuality in poems, as the tightly gathered petals are supposed to represent the anus.
Very ancient plants, as Confucius wrote about them in 500 B.C. Chrysanthemums were always great favorites of the noble class, and in China, up until recently, common folks were not allowed to grow them in their gardens.
Chrysanthemum seeds came to Japan via Korea in the fourth century, and in AD 910, Japan held its first imperial Chrysanthemum Show and declared this the National flower.
Chrysanthemums were first introduced to Europe in 1688, and to the US in 1897. Although their reception there was not enthusiastic initially, it soon gained popularity.
Chrysanthemum petals are quite tasty and are particularly good added to cream soups or salads. Blanch them but don't cook them for too long as that makes them bitter.
The Chrysanthemum was brought to Japan by Buddhist monks in AD 400. Japanese emperors so loved the Chrysanthemum flower that they sat upon Chrysanthemum thrones.
Literature/Arts
In Japan the chrysanthemum is also a metaphor for homosexuality in poems, as the tightly gathered petals are supposed to represent the anus.
