Ultimate Guide To Chrysanthemum Flower Meaning and Symbolism By Color

The Chrysanthemum is a versatile flowering plant with rich meaning and symbolism around the world. Boasting numerous cultivars and wide popularity, the flower is steeped in history. In this article, we’ll take you through everything you need to know about chrysanthemum flower meaning and symbolism, as well as their history and origins, uses and benefits, and cultural significance.

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Chrysanthemum Meaning – The Essentials:

In the language of flowers, the chrysanthemum carries the symbolic meaning of devoted love, loyalty, happiness, longevity, and joy. The chrysanthemum is also the official flower for November birthdays and has a variety of additional symbolic meanings in cultures around the world.

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About Chrysanthemum Flowers

Genus and Plant Family

Chrysanthemums – or “mums” for short – belong to the genus chrysanthemum in the daisy (Asteraceae) plant family.

As perennial flowering plants, mums have soft, herbaceous stems, pointed leaves with smooth or toothed edges, and generous flower heads that range in shape from round pom-poms to flat discs.

With petals that vary from needle-like or spidery to flat or curled, they bloom in just about every color and combination of colors you can imagine.

Origins of Chrysanthemum Flowers

Mums have long been a favorite of botanists and were cultivated in China as early as the 15th century B.C. The original flowers that grow wild feature golden-colored blossoms, but by 1630, more than 500 cultivars had been identified and recorded.

Today, it’s estimated that more than 20,000 different chrysanthemum varieties exist, and each is beautiful in its own way.

Uses and Benefits of Chrysanthemum Flowers

While they’re wonderful for arranging, pressing, and drying for display, many chrysanthemum cultivars have uses that stretch beyond looking pretty.

Chrysanthemum Teas, Flavorings & Food

White and yellow chrysanthemum flowers are often used to make tea and various flavorings. Their leaves can also be boiled or steamed to be eaten as greens.

Chrysanthemum Pest Control

Mums carry a natural insecticide. Planted in your garden, they’ll ward off pesky bugs and insects.

Chrysanthemums Clean Your Air

NASA identified living potted mums as one of the best plants for cleaning indoor air pollution in their famous study.

While the study has largely been debunked due to the controlled environment it was conducted in, that’s just an excuse to buy as many of these wonderful plants as you can fit in your home.

Medicinal Benefits of Chrysanthemum Flowers

Chrysanthemums are thought to have potential medicinal uses. In natural medicine, the roots are sometimes boiled to treat headaches. Health products containing chrysanthemums also claim to help lower blood sugar.

Additionally, chrysanthemum has been used to treat or aid in the treatment of fever, angina, high blood pressure, prostate cancer, and stomach cancer. However, there is no solid scientific research currently backing these claims.

Chrysanthemum Floral Arrangements

These flowers are native to East Asia and North-Eastern parts of Europe, but thanks to their seemingly endless varieties, colors, uses, and benefits, chrysanthemums have made their way into florists’ hearts and home gardens around the world.

Depending on your growing zone, chrysanthemums bloom from late summer through early winter, but you can find them at a local florist’s shop any time of the year.

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Chrysanthemum Color Meaning and Symbolism

With so many types of mums growing all around the world, it should come as no surprise that many varieties have been ascribed special symbolic meanings. These can be used to convey messages and personal sentiments when arranged in a bouquet, corsage, boutonniere, or other floral gifts.

Generally, chrysanthemums symbolize friendship, trust, joy, optimism, longevity, and fidelity. However, the symbolic meaning ascribed to chrysanthemums can differ depending on the color of the chrysanthemum, the type of bloom, and the local culture.

White Chrysanthemum Meaning

White chrysanthemums hold many meanings. In some cultures, the flower is strictly reserved for sympathy and remembrance, as white often conveys sentiments of condolences.

However, white chrysanthemums also symbolize purity, innocence, spirituality, loyalty, and honesty. These additional symbolic meanings make them an appropriate addition to bouquets for a variety of recipients and occasions.

Red Chrysanthemum Meaning

Red is the official color of Valentine’s Day for a reason. Generally, it symbolizes romantic love, strong feelings, and deep passion. So naturally, red chrysanthemums carry these same sentiments.

If you want to give a gift of flowers to the love of your life, but have grown tired of roses, then choose a bouquet of red chrysanthemums or a mixed arrangement containing all kinds of red flowers.

Pink Chrysanthemum Meaning

In Japan, pink chrysanthemums are especially loved because they symbolize the emperor and the Imperial family.

Pink chrysanthemums also represent longevity. Pink flowers generally carry feelings of gentle affection, attraction, and romance, making them a great choice for a first date or a new love.

Yellow Chrysanthemum Meaning

In Victorian floral traditions, yellow chrysanthemums represented sorrow and neglected love – quite the contradiction to their bright, cheerful hue.

However, in modern times, this isn’t really the case. In the United States especially, yellow flowers (including chrysanthemums) have gone the way of the yellow smiley face and are usually understood to symbolize happiness, joy, celebration, and high spirits.

They’re a good choice for a birthday celebration, congratulatory bouquet, or for cheering up a recovering patient.

Violet Chrysanthemum Meaning

Violet chrysanthemums convey get-well wishes to their recipient. They’re a great choice to include in a floral arrangement for a friend who’s ill or recovering from surgery.

Green Chrysanthemum Meaning

Especially popular in their button variety, green chrysanthemums carry a host of positive meanings. They symbolize rebirth, renewal, good fortune, good health, and youthfulness.

Orange Chrysanthemum Meaning

In the language of flowers, the color orange means what you might expect it to mean: brimming, bubbly feelings of excitement, enthusiasm, and passion.

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The Cultural Significance of Chrysanthemum Flowers

Symbolic mum meanings not only vary based on their color, but their meanings can also vary between different cultural traditions. Depending on where you are, chrysanthemums might have either a negative or positive symbolic meaning.

Chrysanthemum Flowers in Ancient Greece 

In Greek culture, chrysanthemum meaning comes from the translation of the flower’s name, which is gold (chrysos) flower (anthemon).

Chrysanthemum Flowers in European Culture 

In France, Belgium, Austria, Italy, and other European countries, chrysanthemums are viewed exclusively as a symbol of mourning, sympathy, and death. They’re only given as a token of sympathy or grief, and they’re reserved for memorial flowers, funeral wreaths, and cemetery decorations.

In Britain, however, chrysanthemum meaning aligns more closely with the symbolism recognized in the United States: cheerfulness and joy, optimism, and longevity.

Chrysanthemum Flowers in Japanese Culture 

In Japan, chrysanthemums also play a role in mourning. White mums are reserved for funerals and graves. Other chrysanthemums are viewed as symbols of perfection, longevity, and rejuvenation.

Japan even has a National Chrysanthemum Day on September 9th, also known as the Festival of Happiness. They also represent the Sun and comprise the Imperial Seal of Japan.

In Chinese Culture 

In China, this beautiful flower symbolizes longevity, nobility, and good luck in the home. They can also symbolize reincarnation, rebirth, and new life.

Mums in Australian Culture 

As they’re commonly called mums, chrysanthemums are the official flower for celebrating Mother’s “Mum’s” Day in Australia.

Chrysanthemum Flowers in Victorian Times 

Flower language and meaning were all the rage during the Victorian Era. Chrysanthemums were used to convey well-wishes, good luck, and to express feelings of friendship.

The Victorians also relied heavily on the color-coded meanings of floral gifts. So, for example, to a Victorian, a red chrysanthemum might have represented feelings of romantic love for a friend. Yellow and white chrysanthemums respectively represented slighted love and truth.

Chrysanthemum Flowers and Astrology

Chrysanthemums are the Zodiac flower for Virgo, given their symbolism of well-being and friendship. Despite the Virgo zodiac sign’s tough reputation, they are fiercely loyal to those they hold dear.

Additionally, the chrysanthemum signifies the transition from summer to autumn. This flower’s blooming season coincides with Virgo season, making it the ideal representative of this sign.

The Popularity of Chrysanthemum Tattoos

In addition to all these traditions, different chrysanthemums and their individual meanings have also become popular in floral tattoo art. They’re often chosen as remembrance tattoos intended to honor someone who has passed away.

Chrysanthemum tattoos can also represent rebirth, chosen to commemorate an important time of transformation or a new beginning in one’s life.

Chrysanthemum tattoo meanings vary depending on the type of mum, the colors used, and, of course, each individual’s story.

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9 Occasions When Chrysanthemum Flowers Make the Perfect Gift

With so many varieties, you can find a chrysanthemum plant or a chrysanthemum floral arrangement that’s appropriate for just about any occasion – whether somber or celebratory.

1. Birthdays (Especially in November)

In the same way that gemstones represent birth months, each month also has a representative flower. Chrysanthemums are the November birth flower. This makes them the perfect choice for congratulating new parents in November or for a birthday bouquet.

Even if your birthday celebrant wasn’t born in November, a gift of chrysanthemums symbolizing longevity and youthfulness is a wonderful choice for someone anyone who feels young at heart.

2. Anniversaries (Especially Number 13)

Chrysanthemums are the official flowers for 13th Wedding Anniversaries, and they make a thoughtful gift to mark this special milestone with your significant other.

In red, chrysanthemums symbolize deep love, which makes them an appropriate selection whether you’re celebrating one week or 50 years of love.

3. Memorials and Funerals

In certain places, chrysanthemums are the quintessential funeral flowers. For instance, in the United States, white chrysanthemums and other white flowers are considered the most appropriate for sending condolences.

Give an elegant wreath or arrangement of white chrysanthemums to convey your deepest sympathy to those who have lost a loved one.

4. Falling in Love

In spite of their maudlin reputation in some parts of the world, chrysanthemums generally represent happiness in the U.S.

What’s happier than experiencing new love? Show your beau or belle your feelings of attraction, romance, and excitement with a bouquet of pink and orange mums.

5. Autumn and Winter Weddings

Although you can find them year-round, chrysanthemums bloom naturally in the autumn and winter. This makes them a convenient, accessible, and affordable choice for weddings scheduled during the colder months of the year.

Your wedding flowers will not only be less expensive, but they will also be more beautiful since your mums will have freshly blossomed in all their splendor.

6. Host or Hostess Gift

When invited to a party, you should never arrive empty-handed. Whether you choose a potted mum plant or a bouquet of cut chrysanthemums, with their broad expanse of symbolic meanings and general cheerfulness, these flowers are a great choice to bring to a party.

7. Holiday Celebrations

Since chrysanthemums bloom in just about every color, you can combine them to create festive bouquets and floral accents for celebrating any holiday.

Imagine bouquets of spooky purples, oranges, greens, and yellows for Halloween; white and green for St. Patrick’s Day; red, white, and blue for Independence Day; creamy whites, reds, and maroons for Christmas; snowy white and bright red for New Year’s; autumn hues for Thanksgiving Day; and all sorts of pastels for springtime celebrations!

8. Get Well Gift

Mix up a bouquet of violet and yellow chrysanthemums for equal parts get well wishes and cheer.

9. Just Because

In a variety of charming shapes, sizes, and textures, you really can’t go wrong with chrysanthemums. So, even when there’s nothing particularly special about the day, let your loved ones know that they’re special to you by giving the gift of a mum bouquet to turn an ordinary day into an occasion.

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Wrap Up

Whether celebrating a special occasion or the beauty of everyday life, you truly can’t go wrong with chrysanthemums. They’re the perfect flowers for decorating a home or office for the holiday season, and with all their special symbolic meanings, there’s an appropriate chrysanthemum for marking almost any occasion.

Whether you grow them, arrange them, press them, or simply admire them, chrysanthemums will surely capture your heart, just as they’ve managed to capture the admiration of cultures around the world.

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Chrysanthemum Meaning & Symbolism FAQ