Culture:Name from Greek chrysos meaning gold and anthos meaning flowers refering to original flower color; dates back to 550 B.C. in China where used extensively over centuries; first in Chrysanthemum genus, then split by botanists into Dendranthema, now back into former genus.Meaning from the Greek dendron (tree) and anthemon (flower).
Major Content: acacetin (C16H12O5).Other content: chrysanthetriol; carotene; cumanbrin; chrysanthemol; glyceryl-l-monobe-henate; luteolin-7-glucoside; kikanol A,kikanol B,kikanol C; volatile Oil;Accacetin-7-rhamnosidoglucoside;Yejuhua lacto-ne;Chrysanthemin;alpha-ThuJone.
Basic Botanical Bata of Chrysanthemum.Dendranthema.:Flos Chrysanthemi Indici
Sceintific Name:Flos Chrysanthemi Indici
Chrysanthemum (Dendranthema)
(den-dran' thah-mah)(chri-san' thah-mum)
Common name: Wild chrysanthemum flower,Dendranthema Flower
Botanical Source: flower petals of Chrysanthemum indicum L.
Pharmaceutical name:Flos Chrysanthemi Indici
Latin botanical name:Chryanthemum indicum L., C.boreale Mak., C Iavandulaefolium (Fisch.) Mak.
Other Pinyin Names:ye huang ju (wild yellow Chryanthemum);xian ye ju hua (young wild Chryanthemum);ye huang ju hua(wild yellow Chryanthemum);ku yi (bitter essence);shan ju hua(Mountain Chryanthemum);gan ju hua(Sweet Chryanthemum)
Light: Sun to part sun.
Properties(characteristics):Bitter,acrid,slightly cold,Bitter and pungent in flavor, slightly cold in nature, it is related to the lung and liver channels.
Channels(meridians) entered:lung, liver
Flower Meanings: Chrysanthemum (Red) Dendranthema - Love
Chrysanthemum (Yellow) Dendranthema - Slighted love
Chrysanthemum (White) Dendranthema - Truth
Moisture: Moderately moist. Mums are fairly drought tolerant once established, but be sure to water when plant is in bud if conditions are dry.
Hardiness: USDA Zones 5-9. Most varieties are hardy through mild frosts.
Propagation: Mums are mainly propagated by division. If your plants are too small to divide, you can start new ones from tip cuttings in spring and summer.
Habitat: Found wild in most habitats. Grasslands on mountain slopes, thickets, wet places by rivers, fields, roadsides, saline places by seashores, under shrubs 100 - 2900 m. Nearly throughout China.
Family:Asteraceae, Aster
Height x width: 1-2' x 1-2' (to 3' x 3' in zones 6-9) depending on variety
Growth rate: moderate to fast
Foliage: alternate, deeply cut margins (pinnatifid)
Flowers: various forms (see below), most colors usually forced (se below) for fall bloom
Hardiness: zones 5-9, usually grown as an annual
Soil: well-drained .Light: sun
Pests and problems: leaf spots, stunt virus, spider mites, aphids, tarnished plant bug, foliar nematodes and leaf miner; many more in greenhouses including other viruses and thrips
Landscape habit,uses: massing, front of borders, containers
Chrysanthemums have dark green, deeply lobed and aromatic leaves with soft grey undersides. They come in a wide variety of flower shapes, sizes and colors, from dark burgundy, bronzes and oranges, to lavenders, light pastel pinks, and whites. The hundreds of cultivars of mums are classified by flower shape: pompons are double and ball shaped; reflexed are double with downward curving rays; spiders are double with long tubular, spreading rays; spoons are semidouble with spoon shaped rays; and there are several other shapes. All of the garden mums bloom in late summer or fall and many cultivars flower in spring as well. Plants may be low and spreading or may reach up to 5'.
Narrative meanings of Dendranthema:
Meaning: From the Greek dendron (tree) and anthemon (flower); referring to the woody flower stems
Pronunciation: den-dran-THEE-muh
Origin:The flower head of Chrysanthemum Indicum L., or Dendranthema indicum, of the family Compositae. Native to India, as 'indicum' means 'Indian,' the flower can be found wild in most habitats in India, China,Indochina, Portugal, and other temperate and subtropical regions. The flower head of wild chrysanthemum is smaller than florist's or garden chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum morifolium. Ramat. C. sinense., or Chrysanthemum indicum sinense.
The flower plant grows to 0.6 m by 0.6 m. It is in flower from August to October. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by insects. It cannot grow in the shade and requires moist soil.
As an herb, it is harvested in autumn when the flower is in full bloom. Dry it in the sun or bake it until dry and save it for later use.
Other interest of Chrysanthemum(Dendranthema):
Name from Greek chrysos meaning gold and anthos meaning flowers refering to original flower color; dates back to 550 B.C. in China where used extensively over centuries; first in Chrysanthemum genus, then split by botanists into Dendranthema, now back into former genus
Other culture of Chrysanthemum(Dendranthema):
Although perennial in warmer climates listed, usually grown as a seasonal annual for fall bloom or small pots of color in spring; varieties here grown for outdoors with different ones for indoor pot and cut forcing; requires short days (long nights) to bloom with differences among varieties-- early fall blooming ones require shorter nights than those blooming later; pinch back to encourage branching and denser growth--no later than July 15 in zone 4, August 15 in zone 9; division every 3-4 years may be beneficial.
Extracts Available:Indian Dendranthema Flower P.E. 10:1
Actions and Applications of Chrysanthemum.Dendranthema.:
Actions & Indications:rid of fire and toxicity. Used in sore swollen throats, red eyes caused by wind fire, boils, carbuncles and sores
Medical Function:
*antibiotic effect against Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella spp. and ECHO viruses
*anti excitatory effects of adrenal system
*lower blood pressure
*dilate peripheral blood vessels
*Clears away heat and removes toxic substances.
*The plant to treat eye ailments. In conjunction with black pepper it is used in the treatment of gonorrhoea.
*The leaves are depurative. They are used in the treatment of migraine
The whole plant is antiphlogistic, blood tonic, depurative, febrifuge and vulnerary. The plant is used in China to treat eye ailments. In conjunction with black pepper it is used in the treatment of gonorrhoea. The leaves are depurative. They are used in China in the treatment of migraine. The flowers are aperient, bitter, hypotensive, stomachic and vasodilator. They contain the glycoside chrysanthemin that yields glucose and cyanidin on hydrolysis, together with stachydrine and an essential oil. They have an antibacterial action, inhibiting the growth of Staphylococcus, E. coli, streptococcus, C. diphtheriae, Bacillus dysenteriae. The flowers are used in the treatment of furuncle, scrofula, deep-rooted boils, inflammation of the throat, eyes and cervix, eczema, itchiness of the skin and hypertension. They have a rejuvenating effect when used over a long period of time. An essential oil obtained from the plant contains chrysanthenone, this is active on the brain centre affected by Parkinson's disease.
Edible Uses:
Edible Parts: Flowers; Leaves; Seed. Edible Uses: Tea.
The flower heads are pickled in vinegar. Young leaves - cooked. An aromatic tea is made from the leaves. Seed. No more details are given but it is very small and would be rather fiddly to use.
Other Uses: Oil:The seed contains about 16% of a semi-drying oil, but no information is given as to its uses. The seed is rather small, commercial extraction is probably not viable.
Applications:
1. To treat boils, carbuncle, furuncles, scabies and erysipelas:
This herb can be used alone or the fresh herb can be mashed for application onto the affected part. It can also be used with dandelion (Herba Taraxaci), Chinese violet (Herba Violae), honeysuckle flower (Flos Lonicerae), etc., e.g., Wuwei Xiaodu Yin.
2. To treat sore throat and acute conjunctivitis due to upward attacks of toxic heat:
(A) Sore Throat: Use it with dandelion (Herba Taraxaci), Chinese violet (Herba Violae), weeping forsythia fruit (Fructus Forsythiae), etc.
(B) Acute conjunctivitis due to wind and fire mutually stirred up: Use it with honeysuckle flower (Flos Lonicerae), pale butterflybush flower (Flos Buddlejae), selfheal spica (Spica Prunellae), etc., e.g., Jinhuang Xigan Tang in the book "Proven Recipes".
3. Miscellaneous: In addition, this herb can also be taken orally and decocted for external washing for the treatment of skin itching, such as eczema:
Although perennial in warmer climates listed, usually grown as a seasonal annual for fall bloom or small pots of color in spring; varieties here grown for outdoors with different ones for indoor pot and cut forcing; requires short days (long nights) to bloom with differences among varieties-- early fall blooming ones require shorter nights than those blooming later; pinch back to encourage branching and denser growth--no later than July 15 in zone 4, August 15 in zone 9; division every 3-4 years may be beneficial.
4. Benefit and difference/similarity between/of Chrysanthemum morifolium and Chrysanthemum indicum:
Chrysanthemum does indeed have medicinal effects. In Chinese traditional medicine, several different species are used. The most commonly used one is Chrysanthemum morifolium, the species from which decorative potted mums so widely grown in the West are derived. This herb is known as "ju hua" and its flowers help to increase blood flow by increasing coronary vasodilation. It also has antibacterial and antipyretic (temperature lowering) properties. In southern China chrysanthemum tea is very popular during the summer, probably because of its cooling effect. It is also widely taken form the common cold, headache, dizziness, red eye, swelling, angina pectoris and hypertension, according Kee Chang Huang, author of The Pharmacognosy of Chinese Herbs (CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida; 1999).
Other species of Chrysanthemum have similar properties. The flowers of Chrysanthemum indicum, C. boreale, and C. lavandulaefolium are known as "yao jiu hua". They have antihypertensive properties also, but the method of preparation is a little diffierent: the medicine is prepared with alcohol, not water as in the case of C. morifolium. Tablets made with these herbs are typically taken for hypertensive symptoms such as headache, insomnia and dizziness. And the herb is widely used for the common cold, like C. morifolium is, and is used for flu and meningitis.
Reference Materials:Corpus of Discussions on Herbals:
"Removing blood stasis, soothing the liver, relieving furunculosis, expelling toxic substances, dispersing the blood accumulated in a woman's abdomen, relieving erysipelas due to fire-toxin, washing boils and scabies, dispelling wind and killing parasites."
Dosage,Safety and suggestions:Modern Research
10-15 g.
Decoct the ingredients for drinking. Use an adequate amount externally. Other culture of Chrysanthemum.Dendranthema.:
Modern Researches:
The herb contains Acacetin-7-rhamno-glucoside, yejuhua lactone, bitter principles, volatile oils, chrysanthenone, vitamins A and B1.
The whole plant is antiphlogistic, blood tonic, depurative, febrifuge and vulnerary. It is obviously antihypertensive.
The flowers have an antibacterial action, inhibiting the growth of staphococcus, E. coli, streptococcus, C. diphtheriae, Bacillus dysenteriae.
The essential oil obtained from the plant contains chrysanthenone, which is active on the brain centre affected by Parkinson's disease.
The seed contains about 16% of a semi-drying oil, but no information is given as to its uses. The seed is rather small, commercial extraction is probably not viable.
Safety and Toxicity:Chrysanthemum Indica Injection.
Acute Toxicity: LD50.Lethal dose,50 percent kill.Rodent-mice.Intravenous.10.47g (10470 mgs)/kg. About 100 times of the Maxium dosage for Adult.
LD50.Lethal dose,50 percent kill.Rodent-mouse.Intraperitoneal.36g/kg,no variations of cardiogram,prove no toxic effects on heart at this dose.
Subacute Toxicity: Dogs orally taken 3 weeks,no any toxic effects proved,liver and kidney health.
Content Components and Phytochemical Constituents.
Major Content: acacetin (C16H12O5).
Other content: chrysanthetriol; carotene; cumanbrin; chrysanthemol; glyceryl-l-monobe-henate; luteolin-7-glucoside; kikanol A,kikanol B,kikanol C; volatile Oil;Accacetin-7-rhamnosidoglucoside;Yejuhua lacto-ne;Chrysanthemin;alpha-ThuJone.
Content in volatile oil:1,8-cineole;linalool(0.28%);alpha-Thujene(1.57%);trans-carved (1.22%); camphor (18.73%); borneol(11.74%); umbellulone(2.67%);alpha-Terpinene (0.56%); cumic alcoho (0.39%);-4 tepinene(1.04%); myretenol (1.68%); verbenone (0.41%); chrysanthenyl acetate (0.56%); bornyl acetate (1.20%); carvcrol(3.18%);beta-farnesene (0.54%); curcumene (0.26%); cubebene (0.27%); calamenene (0.42%); pinene; sabinene; camphene; isothujone;alpha-pinene (1.1%); camphene(1.65%);sabinene(2.16%); beta-pinene (1.18%); 1-Phellandrene (0.97%); alpha-terpinene (0.25%); p-cymene(0.67%);1,8-cineol; y-terpinene; isoterpinolene bicylo(4,2,0)oct-1(6)-ene; alcanfor(3.32%); thujylalcohol (20.84%); beta-4-terpineol (0.31%); 1-alpha-terpineol (1.53%);isothymol (1.25%); eugenol (0.27%); alpha-copaene (0.13%); cadine (0.3%); trans-caryophyllene (1.42%);xanthyllepoxide;chrysanthemaxamthin;chrysanthemin(asterin);luteolin glucoside;acacetin-7-rhamnoglucoside(0.72%);yejuhualactone(0.1%);carvol;sabinene;beta-3-carene;chrysantome;chrysol;etc.
Decoct the ingredients for drinking. Use an adequate amount externally. Other culture of Chrysanthemum(Dendranthema):
Modern Researches:
Clinical Suggestion and functions:
1.Effects on blood vessels: use water extraction decotion of india flower as injection, inject 1.5~2.0g/kg qty to a hocu cat, coronary flux increase 93% at once, 40 continuous flux keep increasing and show big difference. Cardiotach decreased after taken medicine, decreased about 12%.
2.Affect on blood platelet aggregation:showed inhibition ability 2.3 times as Danshen,3.2 times as Pilose Asiabell Root.
Varieties of Chrysanthemums.
Below are hardy perennials -
C. maximum (Shasta Daisy) and some its best varieties are: Mount Shasta (double white), The Speaker (single white), Astrid (double white), Marconi (double white, frilled flowers), Alaska (white), Majestic (immense white flowers), Mark Riegal (large, white of distinct form) and Cobham Gold (cream, yellow center).
C. rubellum (sprays of pale rose pink single flowers).
C. Parthenium flore pleno (Feverfew - can grow in sun or shade - tons of small, double, white flowers and has a scent somewhat resembling Chamomile) and its variety aureum (Golden Feather - is dwarf with yellow leaves).
C. uliginosum (herbaceous, large, white flowers).
C. nipponicum (shrubby, stems don't die in the winter. Large, white, single, flowers resembling daisies - Great for borders, rock gardens and seaside gardens).
C. Balsamita and its variety tanacetoides (commonly called Costmary, Sweet Mary and Mint Geranium). Costmary is grown in herb gardens and sometimes in flower borders and wild gardens & is naturalized in some parts of North America. Costmary was once reputable for its medicinal values and is used for flavoring foods.
C. arcticum (native of the arctic regions. It produces white to lilac colored daisy-like flowers).
C. yezoense (white flowers fade to a pinkish color).
C. Zawadskii (pink flowers - 2 or less inches in diameter).
Hardy annuals - These are derived from C. carinatum, C. segetum and C. coronarium: Morning Star (pale yellow), Evening Star (yellow), Northern Star (white), atrococcineum (red), Burridgeanum (white marked with crimson and yellow). Double varieties: Double White and Double Yellow and Bridal Robe (small, white flowers).
Some other popular types are: C. frutescens (Marguerite or Paris Daisy); C. indicum and C. morifolium (scinensis).
Here are the classifications of Chrysanthemums:
Large Exhibition or Large Irregular - Have broad, irregularly incurved petals with blooms larger than 6 in. across.
Large or Exhibition Incurves - Have petals overlapping regularly and blooms larger than 6 in. across.
Intermediate Regular Incurves - Similar but with blooms over 5 in., but not more than 6 in. across.
Small Regular Incurves - Similar but with blooms not over 5 in. across.
Decoratives - Petals are regularly or irregularly reflexed. This is the most common garden class; the blooms measure 1? to several inches across. The petals can be long.
Singles - Have disc florets that form Daisy or Marguerite "eye" in the center of the flower. The ray florets are arranged in not more than 5 rows.
Semidoubles - The ray florets are arranged in more than 5 rows but the disc is clearly evident as a daily-like eye.
Anemones - The ray florets are in 5 or fewer rows and shorter petaloid disc flowers form a cushion-like center.
Pompons - Blooms are usually spherical, though sometimes they are almost flat when small. They are usually not over 4 in. wide. Some Pompon varieties have incurved petals in the center of the flower head.
Spoons - Have disc florets that are rather flat and ray florets that are regularly arranged and spoon-shaped.
Quills - The disc shouldn't show, but tubular florets issue from the center and form a globular flower head. The tips of the petals may be recurved or spoon-shaped.
Spiders - Have relatively long, thin and tubular petals of irregular length, sinuous or hooked at the tips.
Threads - The disc may or may not show. The ray florets are of unequal length, tubular and delicate.
Azaleamums and Cushion Chrysanthemums - Dwarf, spreading garden varieties of hardy character.
Cascades - This name is applied to the varieties that have thin, wiry stems that can easily be trained to grow downward from pots and baskets to form a cascade effect when in bloom. The term Cascade refers mainly to the mode of training; the same varieties grown naturally develop into regular bushy plants.
Scientific References:
1.Dendranthema Flower and applications.
Claims & Warning:
Claims: Information this web site presented is meant for Nutritional Benefit and as an educational starting point only, for use in maintenance and promotion good health in cooperation with a common knowledge base reference...Furthermore,it based solely on the traditional and historic use or legend of a given herb from the garden of Adonis. Although every effort has been made to ensure its accurate, please note that some info may be outdated by more recent scientific developments......
Pharmakon Warning: The order of knowledge is not the transparent order of forms and ideas,as one might be tempted retrospectively to interpret it; it is the antidote....(Dissemination,Plato's Pharmacy,II.The Ingredients:Phantasms,Festivals,and Paints;138cf. Jacques Derrida.).
And as it happens,the technique of imitation,along with the production of the simulacrum,has always been in Plato's eyes manifestly magical,thaumaturgical:......and the same things appear bent and straight to those who view them in water and out,or concave and convex,owing to similar errors of vision about colors, and there is obviously every confusion of this sort in our souls.And so scene painting (skiagraphia) in its exploitation of this weakness of four nature falls nothing short of witchcraft (thaumatopoia), and so do jugglery and many other such contrivances.(Republic X,602c-d;cf.also 607c).