Colorful mums abound as New Generation crews hustled in the October drizzle to plant the autumnal bundles that bloom when the days are shorter.
Better Homes & Gardens suggests five interesting features of chrysanthemums:
Mums were first cultivated in China and the mum is one of the four noble plants in China, representing fall and nobility.
In some cultures they are symbolic, such as in Japan where it has been the crest of the Emperor for centuries. In some European countries mums are associated with the dead and are at gravesites. In the US, they suggest joy and optimism.
The Greek origin of “chrysanthemum” comes from the root words “chrysos” (gold) and “anthemon” (flower). While gold is popular, thousands of varieties yield mums in yellow, red, orange, white, pink, and purple.
Mums aren't just for breakfast, though the flowers can brewed into a tea. The edible leaves can also be mixed into salads or cooked like other greens, provided the plants haven't been treated with pesticides.
Oil extracted from the flowers of certain chrysanthemum species has been used in insecticides for centuries. Pyrethrum, for example, is sometimes used in tick spray.