Fall Flowers – the Quintessential Chrysanthemum
It’s that time of the year and fall is now upon us. The days are getting shorter while the nights are getting colder. The leaves have begun to change to bright colors of oranges, yellows and reds. My favorite trees that exhibit fantabulous colors are the sugar maples in New England. They are just spectacular this time of the year. Just like trees, there are some amazing fall flowers that are very bright and pretty and help to usher in the the upcoming holidays.
Halloween is just around the corner and orange is the primary color of the season. From pumpkins in the field or decorating the front porches to the gorgeous orange colored leaves beginning to float to the ground. There are also some pretty orange colored fall flowers that truly bring memories of the season back.
Traditional flowers at this time of the year include Chyrsanthemums (aka mums). The chrysanthemum is the quintessential autumn flower. They bloom in many different shades including orange, rust, brown, red, purple, pink, and white. These fall flowers look great just gathered as a group or bunch and placed into a vase.
There are approximately 30 different species of the Chrysanthemum fall flowers family. They are originally native to Asia and northeast Europe. Of course, now they are grown around the world and grace many homes flower gardens in the cooler climates. These fall flowers resemble daisies, pompoms or buttons.
Many florists also use the chrysanthemum fall colored flowers as perfect supplemental or filler flowers in their beautiful fall flower arrangements. The make perfect complementary flowers offering colors which blend well with most all other flowers. For those who enjoy basket styled arrangements, typically you will see chrysanthemums in them at this time of the year.
Lastly, please be aware that if you are prone to having sensitive skin, then you should wear gloves when handling chrysanthemums. These fall flowers can cause skin irritations or certain people will have an allergy to the plant material. Common symptoms are a rash on the hands or the development of small itchy blisters. Be sure to wash you hands after handling the plant material to minimize any lingering effects.
