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Common Name: Chrysanthemum

General Information

Dendranthema indicum is a perennial plant that can grow up to 0.60 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

E. Asia - Eastern China, Central and Southern Japan.

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[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.60 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in most well-drained fertile soils in a sunny position[, ].
Plants tolerate temperatures down to about -10°c and should succeed outdoors in most parts of Britain[].
This species is closely related to D. x grandiflorum (the cultivated chrysanthemum) according to one report[] whilst another says that it is a parent of the cultivated chrysanthemum[].
It has been proposed (1999) to restore this species to Chrysanthemum as C. indicum L. since the plant is so widely known under this name.
When bruised, the foliage has a pungent refreshing fragrance that is somewhat lemon-like and reminiscent of chamomile[].

Edible Uses

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.

Medicinal

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[].

Other Uses

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[].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring to early summer in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed[]. It usually germinates in 10 - 18 days at 15°c but if it does not germinate within 4 weeks then try chilling the seed for 3 weeks in the salad compartment of a fridge[]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.
Division in spring. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.