Longwood Gardens cultivates record-breaking chrysanthemum
Summary and headline written by AI from the source article. How we work
Horticulturists at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania grow a single chrysanthemum plant to produce over a thousand blooms, a Japanese horticultural art form called ōzukuri.
The process, taking approximately eighteen months, involves starting with cuttings, meticulously training the plant, and controlling its exposure to light to encourage growth and synchronize flowering. Skilled gardeners carefully select and remove shoots and buds, guiding the plant’s development to create a large, symmetrical dome of blossoms.
Originally developed in Japan, the Thousand Bloom Chrysanthemum emerged from imperial traditions and became a display of horticultural skill, artistic composition, and cultural significance. In the late 19th century, as Japan modernized, the chrysanthemum symbolized national identity. Longwood Gardens began experimenting with the technique in 1994, learning from Japanese masters who shared their knowledge and helped them refine their methods. Through years of observation and adaptation, Longwood has progressively increased the number of blooms on its plants.
In 2019, they grew a chrysanthemum with 1,542 flowers, the largest recorded outside of Japan, and in 2025, a plant with 1,363 blooms measuring 12 feet wide and 8 feet tall. The garden views each display not just as a horticultural achievement, but as a continuation of knowledge passed down through generations of gardeners.
