Plants will ship Mid-March 🙂
Chrysanthemum, Chinese Gong-ju-hua (Chrysanthemum morifolium) plant in a 9 inch pot, organic
$21.00
Family: Aster (Asteraceae)
Hardy to Zones 5 to 10
(Autumn Chrysanthemum, Huangshan gongju) Evergreen subshrub native to China, an ancient cultigen that cannot be propagated by seed. This is a choice cultivar with small, fall to early winter blossoming flowers of yellow and cream. Strong flavor, taste sweet to slightly bitter, a superior flower for making Chrysanthemum tea. The main harvest of these flowers occurs in my Zone 7 garden around November 15, significantly later than the Bo-ju-hua cultivar. Plant prefers sun and well-drained garden soil, frequent watering. Space plants 2 feet apart.
Potted plant, Certified Organically Grown
In stock
Han Kim –
Fabulous ju hua plants! Every individual plant has become a huge flowering cluster of stems with over 100 blooms per big pot. Now I have three of these. I bought a small electric toaster oven that has very low temps to use as a dehydrator, so I will dry these blooms. I see that Richo’s latest book has wine (!) instructions, too, and I’ll add that book to my next order. Ancient Chinese medicine texts say that wine is the best way to release all of the flower’s compounds…hey, I figure it can’t hurt to drink it throughout the winter, what do I have to lose. Richo, thanks for all your growing advice through the years!! Everything is big and strong now.
Zone 7 in Maryland.
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anupamarani –
Richo, Mine have flowered so much and so beautifully in my front(Zone 7b). Now I wanted to dry the flowers for tea. What is the best way to dry? Sun dry or indoors spread on cotton cloth like tulsi? Also fresh flowers can be made into tea as well right?
Thank you.
Anu
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Richo Cech –
Hello Anu, The Ju-hua flowers are very delicate and are best used dried. See page 207 of “Making Plant Medicine” for full instructions. In short, pick in early maturity and dry in the shade on screens or like you said on cloth, that would be fine. Richo
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Christen –
One more question, Richo!! Can you tincture the flowers?
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Richo Cech –
Hi Christen, actually glad you asked that, people would really benefit from knowing more about chinese chrysanthemum (Ju-hua). Of course its a classic tea herb but it can also be tinctured and is often made into a medicated wine. See pages 207 to 209 for more in-depth info. Richo
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Christen –
If I choose to put my 4” plant into a 3 gallon pot like you suggested and put it in my cold greenhouse, do I need to water it during the winter. My greenhouse is new and I’ve never done this before. Thanks!
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Richo Cech –
Yes, potted plants even during dormancy are best not allowed to dry out completely. You can mulch the pots to protect from frost and protect from drying out. I probably water my unheated greenhouses once a week during the dormant cycle.
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Christen –
I just ordered this plant. I am concerned about getting it through the winter (zone 6) bc sometimes NW Ohio has very harsh winters. Any tips. Or maybe should I keep it in a pot inside this winter? Thanks for any help!
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Richo Cech –
Hello Christen, Thanks for writing. Zone 6 is compatible for overwintering this plant and it does require a cold dormancy, so you’re in there. Attempting to overwinter indoors (like on a windowsill in the house) is not recommended. But you can up-pot to a 3-gallon and overwinter in a cold greenhouse, that would be fine. Otherwise plant to the intended spot, mulch and tag, and let it grow on to become well enough established by frost to overwinter successfully. These are tough. Richo
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Ann Kohl –
How tall do these mums get?
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Richo Cech –
2 to 3 feet
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