The flower comes in several varieties but originally the chrysanthemum was just a small yellow flower. After generations of cultivation, the number of varieties grew rapidly. In the Chrysanthemum Book of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), 35 varieties were noted but by the time of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), the number had risen to 136. In Li Shizhen's famous book, "Ben Cao Gang Mu", finished in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), more than 900 varieties of chrysanthemum were listed. Today more than 3,000 varieties are blooming in China.

To the common people, chrysanthemums also had uses as a herb. You still find today that Chinese women drink chrysanthemum tea instead of coffee. One variety of chrysanthemum, known as "Hang Bai Ju" (Hangzhou White Chrysanthemum), is said by experts to have healthcare properties.