Chrysanthemum – The November Flower

Chrysanthemums represent longevity, perfection and warmth. 

They flower as the days shorten and turn cold.  It is a time when we are in much need of warmth and light and we long to prolong the summer season.  With the warm burgundy, orange and yellow flowers on those strong upright stems, chrysanthemums bring those autumn and fiery colours back into our lives.  It is no wonder that they have come to symbolise longevity for they keep going abundantly while many of their flower counterparts are fading away.

Chrysanthemums bring cheerfulness under adversity.

There are people who have told me that they do not like chrysanthemums because they remind them of death and graves.  This is an easy association to make.  They are often used on graves because they last so well as a cut flower, and again they are around during a season that heralds darkness, the cold and, for some, depression or the loneliness of losing a loved one.  While I recognise that link, personally I find that chrysanthemums help to counter those feelings.  I bring them into the house when there are very few other flowers from the garden.  Even the showy dahlias are succumbing to the first harsh temperatures.  In the ‘Language of the Flowers’ chrysanthemums have been said to represent cheerfulness under adversity and that is the interpretation I relate to.  They offer a brightness and welcome.

Chrysanthemums and the elixir of life

Chrysanthemums were discovered in their golden, yellow form in China over two thousand years ago.  Charles Skinner in his book published in 1911 “Myths and Legends of Flowers, Trees, Fruits, and Plants” details how a Chinese Emperor, who learned of this rare plant, believed that it could yield the elixir of life.  Further, it was only those with pure hearts who could touch it without losing its virtues.  The Emperor sent three hundred ‘pure’ young men and women on ships to the islands to search for the flower for him.  Rather unsurprisingly it seems that they never returned.  Who knows how long these explorers lived, but in Japan the sense that Chrysanthemums would prolong their lives continued in Kai.  They would drink water where the petals had fallen or place petals in their wine.  

Chrysanthemums represent perfection in Japan.

Chrysanthemum is considered one of the national flowers of Japan.  In Japan Chrysanthemums represent perfection. They are cherished for the orderly unfolding of their petals.  As we take a close look at the flowers, they really hold a geometric perfection with their graduated petals and deepening colours. Not only has its beauty been admired, the petals and new shoots were used as an herb, addition to salads and the roots used as a medicine to eliminate toxins and reduce headaches.  You will find chrysanthemum designs on Kimono designs, crockery and even on Japanese passports.  It is not only a symbol of perfection but also a sign of royalty and status.  Hence the use of the flower on the crest of the Japanese Emperor.

Flourishing in later life

Since the discovery of that golden orb in the east, chrysanthemums have been bred to create a multitude of colours, sizes and forms.  It is estimated that there are well over 20,000 varieties.  Far from losing its appeal it has gained even more popularity.  For me, the chrysanthemum represents a reminder that we can all age gracefully and flourish in later life.  It seems that, even today, with the constant advertising for creams to make us look younger and clothes to keep us up to date and ‘in fashion’ we would do well to remember the tale of the emperor.  Rather than searching for the elixir of life perhaps we can focus on being grateful to be here in November and to have lived another precious year.  We have the chance to enjoy the ripeness of the season, appreciate the passing colours of summer and crisp days in autumn.  I may have more wrinkles and a plumper figure but I would like to think that I am gaining in experience and, hopefully, learning greater understanding and compassion on my journey.  But the chrysanthemum is not only a lesson for older folk.  I look forward to watching the young people around me unfurling and finding that they are perfect just the way they are.

Ruth Goudy

The Flower Writer