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Originated in 500 BC in China, Chrysanthemum is the envoy of winter. Starting its journey from Japan at the beginning of the 8th century, this flower travelled to Holland, England, France and is now known the world over. In Greek, Chrys means golden, anthemon means flower. Put these two words together and you have the name of a flower that is next to the rose in its popularity. It is available in more than a thousand diverse forms with wide- ranging colours, shapes of petals, height, season of flowering, shapes of leaves, size and type of blooms, etc. The size of the blossom varies from half inch to 10 inches in diameter. Choosing the correct location and variety can add charisma to anything and everything. Dwarf varieties, just eight inches in height, go well with window boxes and pots while quality blooms, more than 10 inches in diameter, can be used to add an aura of dignity to any exhibition. The giants, towering at seven feet in height, stand as sentinels. Commonly grown are decorative chrysanthemums. The members of this class boast of gorgeous and shapely blooms. These include pompons, anemones, charm, Koreans, rayonnantes and cascade varieties. Rayonnantes are the most intriguing, having large blooms with spidery petals. The blooms are found in a number of different colours, including green. Pompons—of early flowering or late flowering variety—are found in a splendid range of colours viz. crimson, white, bronze, old gold, golden yellow and shell pink. The dwarf plants of this variety, nine inches high, are grown on rockeries. Charm chrysanthemums are grown as low bushes about one and a half feet high and two feet in diameter. A large number of small, single, sweetly scented flowers adorns the bush. The Korean chrysanthemum is a fine garden flower in exotic colours like pink, bronze, terracotta, brick red, lemon and peach. Amongst the factors to be considered for growing these flowers, the first thing to decide is the type(s) to be cultivated. Second in the list will be the space that is available for the purpose. For good results, knowledge of suitable nutrients with their correct quantity and proportion is a must. Nitrogen, phosphorous and potash are required in large quantity for these plants. Proper soil/chemicals are even more important in the case of potted plants. Fibrous loam, peat, sand and fertilisers should be carefully mixed. Sand, a very important ingredient, should be sharp and coarse. One can also use a recently developed soil-less compost. Every year a Chrysanthemum Show is organised in the city that has various varieties of the flower on display in addition to competitions like flower arrangement, etc. This not only encourages cultivation of the flower but gives a chance to the people to view these earthy beauties. |
