Garland chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum coronarium)
At a glance
- Lifecycle
- Annual
- Exposure
- Full sun
Cultivation
Succeeds in ordinary garden soil. Tolerates a pH in the range 5.2 to 7.5. Plants do not grow well at temperatures above 25°c, tending to become bitter in hot weather. Whilst this species is often grown as an ornamental in the West, in the Orient the variety C. coronarium spatiosum L.H.Bailey is comonly cultivated as a vegetable. Plants often self-sow when they are well-sited and the soil is disturbed by hoeing etc[K].
Propagation
Seed - surface-sow in spring to early autumn in situ. The seed usually germinates within 10 - 18 days at 15°c.
Edible uses
Young shoots and stems - raw or cooked. Flowers - raw.
Medicinal uses
The leaves are expectorant and stomachic. The flowers are aromatic, bitter and stomachic. The bark is purgative, it is used in the treatment of syphilis.
Material uses
Possibly a good companion plant, protecting neighbouring plants from caterpillars etc[Gardener's World, 28/04/89]. There is a report that secretions from the roots can be effective in controlling nematodes in the soil, but this has not been substantiated.
Habitat
Cultivated ground and waste places.
Native range
S. Europe.
Scientific synonyms Glebionis coronaria