Chrysanthemum Brennpunkt

Chrysanthemum 'Brennpunkt', better known as Garden Chrysanthemum, is a true ode to autumn. It is a variety prized for its very double, deep red daisies, widely streaked with copper. A cousin of short-lived chrysanthemums, it is a compact perennial, hardy in most regions, and easy to grow. From October to November, it forms a dome of warm tones that beautifully accompanies the flamboyant foliage and the last blooms of autumn. Its bright, late flowering deserves a place in borders, pots, and bouquets, where they last a long time. Give this low-maintenance plant good garden soil, not too heavy and well-drained, and a position without scorching sun.  

'Brennpunkt' Garden Chrysanthemum belongs to the Asteraceae family, it is a cousin of daisies and sunflowers. It is a cultivar derived from Chrysanthemum indicum, a plant native to East Asia, cultivated since antiquity in China, Japan, and Korea, which is the origin of florists' chrysanthemums. 

The variety 'Brennpunkt' quickly forms a rounded clump, consisting of woody-based, leafy, and branched stems, about 80 cm (32in) tall and 50 cm (20in) wide. Flowering takes place for several weeks from October to November depending on the climate. The plant is covered with numerous very double daisy-like flowers, deep red, streaked with copper and golden yellow in the centre, becoming lighter as they open. The flowers are actually 3-4 cm (1-2in) diameter heads, grouped in clusters called corymbs at the ends of the branched stems. The leaves are ovate to elliptical, measuring 3-7 cm (1-3in) long by 4 cm (2in) wide, hairy, lobed, with a truncate base. The root system of this plant is a shallow rhizome. Its above-ground growth dries up in winter and regrows in spring.

Garden chrysanthemums offer immense resources at a less floriferous time of year and blend remarkably well with autumn colours. They can be associated with asters in complementary colours. Their blooms can be lightened by cosmos, Japanese anemones, gauras, shrubby salvias, magellanica fuchsias, cape lilies... They are particularly interesting when paired with grasses: Carex, Stipa, and Pennisetum. Chrysanthemums are also good cut flowers, lasting a long time in a vase. Consider using taller varieties to create autumn borders at the base of deciduous bushes that reflect their yellow, red, and orange autumn foliage.

The aerial parts of Chrysanthemum indicum (flowers, leaves, and stems) are part of Chinese medicine, used for the treatment of dizziness, hypertension symptoms, and several infectious diseases.