Chrysanthemum

Numerous cultivated species, often called mums, are grown as fall-blooming ornamentals and are important in the floral industry. Florists’ chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum ×morifolium) has over 100 cultivars, including button, pompon, daisy, and spider forms.

Chrysanthemum tea has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine and is usually made from the dried flowers of florists’ chrysanthemum or Dendranthema indicum (formerly C. indicum). It is commonly used as an herbal treatment for hypertension and is said to help treat fever, headache, and inflammation. Numerous other Chrysanthemum species contain pyrethrin compounds and are commonly grown as “companion plants” to repel insects from susceptible ornamental or edible plants.