What is the kiku?

By Chelsie Vandaveer

November 15, 2002

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The genus Chrysanthemum was established by Linnaeus (1707-1778). He combined and Latinized the Greek words, chrysous, golden, and anthemon, flower, a color typical of the known species in Europe. Growers in Holland attempted to introduce the common garden mum to Europe several times during the 1700s. It was not until 1789 that Blancard of Marseilles succeeded. One of the first mums grown widely by Western gardeners was a variety called 'Old Purple'.

Super Shasta Daisy Yellow-centered white flowers on mound-shaped plants 24-36" high and 18-24" wide brighten the garden late spring to fall. Plant in full sun to partial shade. Shipped in 3" pots. Chrysanthemum maximum 'Supra'

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The mum was classified Chrysanthemum morifolium, or the 'golden flower' with 'leaves like the mulberry' by Thomas Albin Joseph d'Audibert de Ramatuelle. Ramatuelle died in 1794 at age 44. It is said he spent his final days in a Paris prison victim of Robespierre and the Committee of Public Safety. Ramatuelle's life ended shortly before Robespierre's reign of terror was finally halted by 'Madame Guillotine'.

When first introduced, the common mum was a simpler inflorescence more like a daisy--disk florets surrounded by ray florets. It was called the Chusan daisy to differentiate it from the English daisy (Bellis perennis). Chu is the original name for the mum; Chusan appears derived from Chu-Hsien (Chrysanthemum City), China, named in honor of the flowers. Gardeners in China had a saying: If you would be happy for a lifetime, grow chrysanthemums.

By the fourth century CE, these flowers, kiku in Japanese, graced the gardens of the island empire. The kiku became the Japanese national flower in 910. Seven hundred years later, Issho of the Kosugi family praised the mum. Though he died in the winter of his thirty-sixth year, Issho left us with this thought:

My eyes, having seen all,
Came back to
The white chrysanthemums.

Zen-Zen0 is an oriental art dealer. Posted on this website is a photograph of a screen painting of a woven bamboo fence covered with white chrysanthemums, kiku, similar to the flowers of Issho's day. To view this beautiful painting, click on the link:

Click here to view this beautiful painting

Click on the individual thumbnails to view details of the painting.

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