November Birth Flower.
November heralds the end of autumn with winter around the corner but it does not mean that there are no flowers in bloom. Chrysanthemums display their beautiful colors as a goodbye to autumn and a welcome for winter.
Colors Of Chrysanthemums
These cute flowers often come in two tones colors and range from red and yellow, orange and yellow as well as pinks and light purples. Some varieties have distinct two-tone colors while others have hues of one single color blending with each other. These plants can be planted in a variety of ways for magnificent displays of color. Some varieties have a daisy-like appearance while others look like pom-poms of color.
Uses For chrysanthemums
There is also a variety of uses, especially medicinal uses for the chrysanthemum today. In Chinese medicine this flower is used in prescriptions for boils, tightness of the chest, anxiety, headaches, inflamed eyes, cold, and vertigo. When the marigold is used with other herbs, it makes for a great tea that is very popular in southern China. Chrysanthemum is also used to treat high blood pressure, diabetes, fevers, dizziness and prostate cancer, however, the safety in using the marigold for these purposes still need to be scientifically proven. While some people are not fans of herbal medicine, many believe in the healing properties of this flower.
Symbolism, meaning and significance
The Japanese people consider the chrysanthemum to be a symbol of the sun and represent perfection with its orderly unfolding of petals as it blooms. In honor of the chrysanthemum Japan has a national holiday called the Festival of Happiness and is one of five ancient festivals that are celebrated today. It is also said that placing a petal from the chrysanthemum in the bottom of a wine glass will also lead to a healthy and lengthy life. In Asian culture, this flower is considered to be a noble one and is also the city of Chicago’s official flower. There are quite a few other meanings to this flower so when you present a loved one with them you are offering them optimism, joy, cheerfulness, truth and rest. With such positive attributes, these flowers make a wonderful birth flower for the month of November.
Usually, assumed, that China is a birthplace of Chrysanthemum, wherefrom it came to Japan, whereafter it became local, but there is the opposite view. It said that this flower came to China from Japan and there is the legend illustrated this fact: The story, that in 246 BC, in China, it as reigned by a cruel Emperor, who once learned, that there is a plant, growing on the nearby island, and it could be prepared an «elixir of youth» of this plant. But to prepare this elixir it is necessary to this flower be picked by a man with a pure heart.
Chrysanthemums In A Nut Shell
The Chrysanthemum was brought to Europe (more precisely in England) in 1676 by some Dutch Reede. But it’s generally known, that Captain Pierre Blanchard brought it to Marseille in 1789. And only in 1829 Toulouse gardener Berner began to cultivate this flower.
Chrysanthemum looks good in any garden with their array of colors and delicate clustered petals. They make wonderful borders to many beds or filling a bed gives a sea of color. If you are more orderly then planting a different color in each bed will bring a whole new dimension to your flower garden.
