The Chrysanthemum tattoo is a popular one with fans of Asian culture along with tattoo enthusiasts. The Chrysanthemum is one of the most grown flowers in the world. In addition, their popularity has grown so much that “mums” are considered the top dog when it comes to fall flowers. The flowers have been carefully bred by horticulturists to have a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Today, colors of the chrysanthemum include shades of white, orange, purple, red, pink and yellow.

Understanding how many variations of this flower exists helps us to understand why the chrysanthemum tattoo would be so popular. There is a shape or color for every occasion. In this article, we want to discuss some of the history behind the chrysanthemum and some of the symbolism of this beautiful flower.

The word ‘chrysanthemum’ was derived from a combination of the word ‘anthemon’, which means flower, and the Greek word for gold. Therefore, the chrysanthemum means ‘golden flower’. That says a lot about such a popular flower. You might consider them the gold standard of the floral world. In many cultures, this flower was represented perfection because of it’s noble history.

For around 2,700 years, the Chinese have cultivated the chrysanthemum. In China, the chrysanthemum has long been admired for its qualities as an herb used for medicine and its beauty. The legend of the medicinal purposes of the chrysanthemum are that the leaves were eaten in salads and the roots were boiled in a drink to help relieve headaches. In addition, the leaves were said to have been brewed for drinks for special occasions.

This is such a popular flower that the Japanese Imperial Family took is their emblem is also the Seal of the Emperor. In addition, the throne of the Emperor is called the Chrysanthemum Throne. The symbol makes the chrysanthemum look like a sun with it’s 16 petals flourishing form the center of the flower. In represents joy and longevity which happen to be traits of the both the Emperor and the flower itself. The Order of the Chrysanthemum happens to be the one of the highest orders in Japan.