The mum flower is more commonly known as the chrysanthemum and does make a great gift for your mother! Its history dates back to the 15th century BC so this flower has literally been influencing artists of mum artwork for a very long time. With its long history, it has different meanings to many cultures around the world. This is probably why it has become so popular in art and culture today, and is one of the most common flowers to be given as a gift.
The name chrysanthemum comes from comes from the Greek word “chrys” which means golden and the word “amthemion” means flower. After years of cultivating, the flower produces a wide range of different colors from red, white and purple. It usually looks daisy-like with a yellow centre and decorative pompon. Mum flowers symbolize optimism and joy.
The Japanese consider the mum flower to be a symbol of the sun, by unfolding its petals to represent perfection, and Confucius once suggested that they should be used as an object of meditation. It is said that a single petal from this flower placed in the bottom of a wine glass can encourage a healthy, happy and long life.
With the incredible importance of flowers dating back for as long as we can remember, it is understandable that they have been used in all forms of art such as: sculpture, painting, books, interior design, music and so on. Many artists use flower and plant symbolism for mum artwork including Christine Debrosky, Silvia Vassileva, Darlene Shiels and the famous Monet.