Tom’s Tips
IN Australia, the chrysanthemum is traditionally given to mothers on Mother’s Day, while men will wear one in their lapels to honour mothers as the flower is naturally in season and plentiful at this time of year.
If you are buying your mum a potted ‘chrysie’, this is what you need to know.
Potted chrysanthemums last for several weeks if watered when dry and are kept in a sunlit area (not full sun).
If you want to keep the plant after it has finished flowering, cut it right back and plant in a sunny, well-drained position, keep root ball moist (not wet) and feed with liquid fertiliser to the root zone during summer every 4-6 weeks.
Tip-prune it to promote a compact plant.
You might even be able to open up a stall at the markets next year with your own Mother’s Day flowers.
Other uses for chrysanthemums
YELLOW or white chrysanthemum flowers of the species C. morifolium are boiled to make a sweet drink in some parts of Asia, such as chrysanthemum tea.
“Pyrethrum” (chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium) is a natural source of insecticide.
The flowers are pulverized and the active components, called pyrethrins, contained in the seed cases are extracted and used as an insecticide and repellent.Horticulturist Tom Fagan runs award-winning Tara Landscaping in Red Cliffs
