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| American Idol Clay Aiken Born In The Month Of The Chrysanthemum |
By:
Wesley Berry, AAF |
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American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken, born November 30, 1978,
may not have taken home the winning title, but his
popularity has blossomed almost as much as that of his
birth-month flower, the wildly popular chrysanthemum.
The chrysanthemum, also called the mum, is a flower
frequently seen in fall arrangements and flowerbeds. It is a
long lasting flower of the daisy family and is available in
a variety of forms, including daisy-like, decorative,
pompons, or buttons. Its name is derived from the Greek
prefix chrys-, which means golden, and the Greek -anthemon,
which means flower. Although the chrysanthemum originally
appeared only in a golden or yellow color, today it is
available in shades of pink, purple, red, yellow, orange,
and white, as well as yellow.
It is an ancient flower first cultivated in China during the
15th century B.C. as evident in ancient Chinese poetry and
pottery. It was grown not just for its beauty, but also for
the many uses of the entire plant. Uses included:
As an herb thought to contain the power of life.
As a headache remedy, for which its roots were boiled.
As an addition to salads (young sprouts and petals).
As a tea boiled from its leaves.
It is still used in China today to make chrysanthemum tea, a
sweet drink that is often used to speed a person's recovery
from influenza. It is also eaten in a stir-fry of
chrysanthemum greens, garlic, and chili peppers.
The chrysanthemum later appeared in Japan during the 8th
century A.D. where it quickly grew in popularity to the
point where the emperor adopted it as his official crest and
seal. Today in Japan, the Order of the Chrysanthemum is the
highest Order of Chivalry that can be bestowed and the
chrysanthemum has its own day called the Festival of
Happiness.
The chrysanthemum was introduced to the United States during
colonial times. Today it is often used in fall flower
arrangements and corsages for Homecoming dances and football
games. Here the chrysanthemum holds the reigning title as
the top most commercially produced flower and the number one
most grown potted plant.
While the U.S. uses the chrysanthemum as a flower for happy
occasions, in parts of Europe and in Japan, it is a symbol
of death used almost exclusively for funerals and on
graves.
If he's lucky, Clay Aiken's popularity of one of American
Idol's best-loved losers will continue to rise through the
years just as the chrysanthemum has widened its appeal to
world-wide fame.
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About the Author:
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Wesley Berry is member of the American Academy of Floriculture (AAF) and President of Wesley Berry Flowers, a successful multi-million dollar floral business that was established in 1946. He is also the Headmaster of the Professional Florists' Institute, a floral design school located in Michigan. Visit Wesley Berry Flowers on the web at http://www.www.WesleyBerryFlowers.com.
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