Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum, common name for numerous perennials formerly included in only a single genus of the composite flower family, but now classified in several separate genera of the family.

Commercial or florists' varieties of chrysanthemums and the garden mums have large, globular heads in which the ray flowers are greatly multiplied, while the disk flowers are unnoticeable or even absent. Numerous hybrids have been developed with single, semidouble, or double blossoms that grow up to 20 cm (8 in) in diameter. The terms pompon and button are applied to small, globular flowers, the term anemone to flowers with twisted rays, and the term decorative to loose, open flowers with flat, grooved, or tubular rays. When tubular rays are open and flattened at the tips, the plants are called spoon mums. Other varieties are sometimes described as feathery, plumed, or spidery. The flowers are produced in all shades of bronze, brown, purple, red, pink, yellow, and white.

Scientific classification: Chrysanthemums belong to the family Asteraceae (formerly Compositae). About 100 species are classified in the genus Chrysanthemum. The garden mums are classified in the genus Dendranthema.