About Chrysanthemum indicum L.
Chrysanthemum indicum L. grows up to 1 m (3 ft) tall and 0.6 m (2 ft) across. It typically blooms from August to October, producing yellow or white flowers and yellow pollen. In the wild, it grows outdoors in full sun with moist soil. It tolerates light (sandy), medium (loamy), and heavy (clay) soils, and grows well in acidic, neutral, or alkaline soil. This is a temperate zone plant, but it can be grown successfully outside this zone, including in tropical regions. It is often cultivated in Southeast Asia in moist soil with a pH around 6.5, under sunny conditions. It can survive temperatures as low as −10 °C (14 °F). Seeds are sown between August and October, and germination typically takes 10 to 18 days at 15 °C (59 °F). For culinary use, its flower heads can be pickled in vinegar. Flowers are used to make drinks like chrysanthemum tea. Young leaves can be steeped or cooked, and petals can be blanched for use in salads and other dishes.
