Indian chrysanthemum: description, varieties, cultivation and care, formation, reviews

Thanks to the huge number of shapes, sizes and colors, chrysanthemums have become very widespread in various parts of the world. Their high decorative value combined with ease of care makes them one of the most sought-after garden flowers, while breeding work to develop new species does not stop. One of the varieties of this perennial is the Indian chrysanthemum, which, unlike its Korean relative, is grown mainly in closed ground conditions.

Description of chrysanthemum indicum

Indian chrysanthemum was previously found growing wild in the territory of modern China, in areas with a subtropical climate.All varieties of this plant have retained its species characteristics.

The Indian species has many varieties and colors

Here is a brief description of Indian chrysanthemum:

Parameter	Meaning
Plant type	Perennial herbaceous plant, family Asteraceae (Asteraceae).
Escapes	Smooth, straight, green, 0.3-1.5 m high, depending on the variety.
Leaves	Heavily dissected, jagged. The leaf blade is greenish-gray, dense, fleecy.
Root system	Powerful, well developed, forming a large lobe.
Flowers	An inflorescence-basket of chamomile type, consisting of a central part with tubular flowers and bordering flat petals of various colors and shades. The size of the inflorescences depends on the variety and can reach up to 25 cm in diameter.
Fruit	Small oblong ribbed brown achenes.
Flowering time	Autumn.

Important! The name "Indian" is not directly associated with India. In the Middle Ages, everything that came to Europe from the East was often called “Indian”.

Varieties of Indian chrysanthemum and their description

There are over 10 thousand varieties of Indian chrysanthemums. Among them there are plants with both large, 20-25 cm in diameter, inflorescences, and with small, “button” ones; there are species for open ground and for growing indoors.

Aurora

This variety of Indian chrysanthemum forms a bush about 1 m high and blooms with very beautiful orange flowers. The inflorescences are double, flat, with a diameter of 7 to 10 cm.

The bright orange inflorescences of Aurora look especially beautiful in autumn

Altgold

The bushes of this variety of Indian chrysanthemums are low, up to 0.6 m. The inflorescences are flat, rich yellow, up to 7 cm in diameter. The variety blooms early, the first buds appear on the bushes in the second half of August. Flowering continues until October.

Altgold blooms earlier than others, in mid-August

Artist

This is a potted variety of chrysanthemums that grows as a small compact bush no more than 0.3 m high. Its distinctive feature is the two-color coloring of the petals in the form of longitudinal stripes.

Two-tone paint in the form of longitudinal stripes is the Artist’s calling card

There are also varieties of the Indian Artist chrysanthemum with yellow-brown and orange-red flowers.

Barolo

This variety of Indian chrysanthemums can be grown both in a pot and in open ground. Smooth, straight and fairly powerful shoots of the plant form a dense bush about 0.5 m high. The flower basket consists of red petals surrounding a green-yellow core.

Indian Barolos can be grown as potted plants

Important! The Barolo variety of Indian chrysanthemums was bred specifically for cutting, so it can stay in a vase for up to 3 weeks without losing its decorative effect.

Cleopatra

This chrysanthemum has a very unusual color - terracotta. The petals are colored in such a way that the inflorescences look as if they are illuminated by the bright sun. Cleopatra blooms for a very long time, from August to October, and in the absence of frost, the flowers can be admired in November.

Important! Many landscape designers consider the Cleopatra variety of Indian chrysanthemums ideal for growing in outdoor flowerpots.

The Cleopatra variety has a long flowering period.

Like Worth

Like Worth chrysanthemums are not large in size; their bush height is only about 0.3 m. Simple chamomile-type inflorescences look very impressive due to the bright two-color petals surrounding the greenish-yellow center.

Light Worth - a potted species of Indian chrysanthemums

The variety also has a darker variety - Like Worth Dark

Little Rock

Little Rock is another representative of Indian chrysanthemums, most often grown indoors. The color of the petals is rich wine, with a white border. Little Rock bushes are very small - 25-35 cm.

One of the smallest varieties - Little Rock

Pura Vida

Like many other varieties of Indian chrysanthemums, Pura Vida is most often grown in pots. The height of the bush does not exceed 0.25-0.3 m. The petals in the central part of the inflorescence are bright green, closer to the edge they become lime-colored, with a white edging.

Pura Vida - a variety with an unusual yellow-green color of inflorescences

Ways to grow Indian chrysanthemum

Indian chrysanthemums can be grown both in open ground and as potted plants. Many varieties are small in size and can easily grow as indoor flowers. Large species in a suitable climate are grown in open ground; this can also be done in special rooms with an artificial microclimate - winter gardens, greenhouses.

Growing Indian chrysanthemum in open ground

Heat-loving Indian chrysanthemums are planted in open ground only with the onset of real warmth in order to completely eliminate the possibility of return frosts. After flowering ends, the shoots are cut off at a height of 15-20 cm from the ground, and the bushes are dug up, put into wooden boxes, covered with sand and taken to the basement for wintering. There they are stored all winter without watering at a temperature of 0-2 ° C, and after the arrival of warmth they are planted again in the garden.

Growing and caring for Indian chrysanthemum at home

Indoor Indian chrysanthemums are less resistant to the vagaries of the weather and require increased care.The height of potted species does not exceed 0.7 m, they do not take up much space. They usually bloom very late, in the fall, when many indoor plants are already in hibernation. Unlike many plants, indoor Indian chrysanthemums do not require elevated air temperatures. On the contrary, it is necessary to ensure that this indicator is within 15 ° C, so it is best to place flower pots on windows facing north.

Planting and caring for terry chrysanthemum indicum

Indian chrysanthemums are brought into open ground as seedlings, which can be purchased at a specialized store or grown independently using seed or vegetative methods.

Important! When propagated by independently collected seeds, the varietal characteristics of chrysanthemum may not be preserved.

Selection and preparation of a landing site

For chrysanthemums, you should choose an open sunny place; these plants do not like shade. The soil on the site should be loose, moderately moist, with good air permeability. You should not plant chrysanthemums in swampy and flooded areas; it is better to give preference to a small hill. If the soil is too clayey, sand or other drainage material should be added, and the area should be fertilized with humus or peat. The PH level should be close to neutral. You can reduce the acidity of the soil by adding dolomite flour or chalk.

Landing rules

Indian chrysanthemums are planted in May, and sometimes this is done even in June to ensure that return frosts are avoided. All work should be done in cloudy, humid weather, but if it is sunny and dry outside, then planting is done in the late evening.If for some reason it was not possible to plant chrysanthemum seedlings in the spring, then this procedure can be carried out in early September. If the climatic conditions of the region do not allow the plants to overwinter in open ground, then they should be rooted in pots and, after wintering, planted in a permanent place.

Chrysanthemums are planted only after the soil has warmed up.

Planting holes for Indian chrysanthemums must be at least 40 cm deep, since a drainage layer of coarse sand or small pebbles must be poured onto the bottom. It is better to mix the soil with which the roots of the plants will be covered with humus; in addition, you can add a little potassium and phosphorus fertilizers to its composition. The seedling is placed vertically in the center of the hole and carefully covered with soil mixture without deepening the root collar. If the plant is tall, then at first it is better to tie it to a support from wind and rain.

Watering and fertilizing

Water the Indian chrysanthemum moderately; excess moisture can lead to root rot. You need to be guided by the state of the soil layer in the root zone of the plant. Moistening should be carried out only as it dries, which is easily determined visually.

The standard watering rate is approximately 10 liters of water for each adult bush once every 3 days. In wet weather, there is no need to water chrysanthemums additionally. It is advisable to use rainwater for irrigation. If the source is a water supply, then the water should be allowed to sit for at least 2 days before watering.

Indian chrysanthemums need to be fed throughout the season. In spring, nitrogen-containing fertilizers are used for rapid shoot growth and green mass growth.In mid-summer, nitrogen-containing fertilizers are no longer applied. Next, only complex potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are used, which stimulate flowering and bud formation for the next year.

Long-acting fertilizers are much more effective than conventional ones

Important! Many gardeners prefer to use specialized slow-release fertilizers. They are sold in flower shops and used in accordance with the instructions.

Wintering of Indian chrysanthemums

Indian chrysanthemums, even large-flowered ones, can be left for the winter in open ground, but only if the climatic conditions of the region allow this. In this case, the shoots are completely cut off just above the soil level, and then the bush is covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves and spruce branches, and then the shelter is covered with snow. Unfortunately, there are relatively few frost-resistant varieties of Indian chrysanthemums. Therefore, after the onset of the first frost, the bushes are pruned and dug up along with a lump of earth on the roots, taking them to the basement or other room with a suitable microclimate for wintering.

How to shape Indian chrysanthemums

To increase bushiness, pinch the top of an Indian chrysanthemum shoot 2-3 times a season. This stimulates the growth of lateral branches. The last time pinching is done no later than 2 weeks before the first buds appear, otherwise the flowers simply will not have time to form.

Propagation of Indian chrysanthemums

The most common method of propagating Indian chrysanthemums is by seed; seed material begins to be planted around February. Before this, they must be subjected to stratification by keeping them for some time at a low temperature. This will significantly increase their germination and viability.For planting, you can adapt any container that is filled with purchased soil for seedlings or a homemade soil mixture of top soil, peat and sand.

Calcining the soil for seedlings will help avoid the development of diseases

Important! Homemade soil for seedlings must first be disinfected by keeping it in a steam bath or in an oven for 20-30 minutes at a temperature of 200 °C.

The container for growing seedlings of Indian chrysanthemums from seeds must be filled with the soil mixture almost to the top so that after closing it with glass or film there remains an air gap of 3-5 cm. Before planting, the soil must be moistened with warm water from a spray bottle. The seeds are poured in even rows, keeping an interval of about 10 cm between the strips. You should not cover the seeds with soil; just lightly press them to the soil surface. After this, the container should be covered with a piece of glass or plastic wrap and put in a warm, dark place until germination.

Important! From time to time, the container should be ventilated and the soil should be moistened, preventing it from drying out.

The first shoots usually appear after 7-10 days. After this, the container with seedlings is transferred to the windowsill. If daylight hours last less than 8 hours, then it is necessary to provide for the possibility of artificially illuminating the seedlings by installing any light source on top. Special phytolamps are very suitable for this purpose, providing light of a certain color spectrum that is most necessary for plants. At the end of spring, seedlings are planted in a permanent place in the garden or planted in pots.

The seed propagation method is simple and effective

Another method of propagating Indian chrysanthemums is cuttings.Cuttings about 20 cm long are cut from mature shoots and rooted in a container with soil mixture covered with film. In such greenhouse conditions, the cuttings quickly form their own root system, after which they are planted.

Diseases and pests of Indian chrysanthemums

Almost all diseases of Indian chrysanthemums are the result of improper care or an unsuitable climate for plants. The most common are fungal infections that cause damage to the entire aerial part.

Here are some diseases found on chrysanthemums:

White rust. A fungal disease that can be recognized by numerous light yellow round spots on the leaves. Over time, the spots turn brown, turning into pockets of rot. When signs of the disease appear, the infected parts of the plants are cut off and burned, and the bushes themselves and neighboring plantings are treated with preparations containing copper (Bordeaux mixture, HOM).
Yellowish rust pads are clearly visible on a green leaf
Powdery mildew. This disease often develops in cold, rainy summers or when the temperature drops sharply. Appears as a dirty white powdery coating on the leaves, which subsequently quickly turn black. Infected plants are destroyed, and neighboring plants are sprayed with a solution of soda ash with the addition of liquid soap.
A light coating on the leaves is a sign of powdery mildew infection.

Important! A risk factor contributing to the development of fungal diseases is the use of fresh manure as fertilizer.

In addition to diseases, Indian chrysanthemums are often attacked by pests:

Brown aphid. These small insects feed on young greenery, often also damaging flower buds. As a means of combating aphids, special preparations are used - insecticides, which are used to spray the bushes.
Brown aphids spoil the appearance of the plant and inhibit its growth
Spider mite. This is a small garden pest found on many crops. Mite nests are easily recognized by the web entangling the tops of the shoots. If found, they must be cut off and destroyed, and the bushes treated with acaricidal preparations.
Spider mites can be easily detected by the abundance of cobwebs on the shoots

Photos of Indian chrysanthemums

Indian chrysanthemums are the real queens of autumn

Indian flowers go well in mixed plantings

An improvised high flower bed with chrysanthemums looks great as an element of garden decor

Blooming Indian chrysanthemums will add color to the garden in autumn

Pots with Indian chrysanthemums can be put indoors for the winter

Indian chrysanthemums can be combined in flower beds in various patterns

Conclusion

Indian chrysanthemum can decorate not only a house area, greenhouse or winter garden, but also an ordinary apartment. Due to the abundance of low varieties of different colors, they can be grown as potted plants. Many gardeners do this, cultivating chrysanthemums in containers and putting them on display in the garden in the warm season without transplanting them into open ground.

Reviews of Indian chrysanthemums

Alina Shatunova, 52 years old, Maykop

I have been growing Indian chrysanthemums for many years. It is difficult to find a more decorative look specifically for autumn. They bloom until winter, and with the onset of cold weather I cut them off and cover them with leaves.

Svetlana Pisarenko, 44 years old, Tuapse

Indian chrysanthemums winter well in our climate, and it is not difficult to grow them in open ground. Their big plus is autumn flowering. And there are a lot of varieties, you can plant excellent mixes on your site.

Inna Gensler, 35 years old, Vladivostok

I love perennial Indian chrysanthemums for their abundance of shapes and colors. You can use them to create literally anything in the garden, but I especially like multi-colored tiered flower beds. In autumn they look very impressive, like a huge multi-colored cake.