21 Free Beautiful Chrysanthemum Botanical Illustrations from the Public Domain

Discover a beautiful collection of vintage chrysanthemum botanical illustrations and flower prints, all free to download. These detailed antique floral artworks are perfect for wall art, crafts, decoupage, and elegant autumn-inspired decor.

Chrysanthemum, a flower that has long been a symbol of autumn and the embodiment of life’s simple pleasures. From the moment they burst into bloom, with their vibrant hues ranging from fiery red to calming white, they never fail to remind us of life’s fleeting beauty. Their name comes from the Greek words “chrysos” (gold) and “anthemon” (flower), quite literally, the golden flower.

For centuries, cultures worldwide have held a deep fascination for Chrysanthemums. Artists have long been captivated by the flower’s intricate petals, each seeming to tell a story of its own. That is why I have added the flower to the collection of botanical flower illustrations by specific species. This includes roses, peonies, daffodils, sunflowers, and many more.

Fun Facts About Chrysanthemums

Chrysanthemums are a broad and diverse group of flowers with a rich history and various uses!

1. In many cultures, the chrysanthemum symbolises autumn because it is one of the few flowers that bloom in the fall.
2. The chrysanthemum symbolises the emperor and the imperial family in Japan. And Japan’s “Festival of Happiness” celebrates this flower.
3. Chrysanthemums feature heavily in traditional Japanese patterns and are called Kiku-zukushi.
4. Horticulturists cultivate more than 200 species of chrysanthemum and thousands of varieties. They can vary significantly in colour, size, and form. Some chrysanthemums are used as border plants for their neat habit and constant flowering, while others, often called mums, are grown for their large, showy blooms.
5. Chrysanthemums have been used in teas in Asia and in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries.
6. The flowers are also used to produce pyrethrum, a natural insecticide.
7. Chrysanthemums are not particularly fussy and can be grown in any soil. However, they do prefer full sunlight. They are propagated from cuttings or by division.
8. Chrysanthemums are popular in gardening due to their various colours and types. You can find chrysanthemums that grow in a bushy manner, ones that grow tall, and even ones that hang down beautifully from pots.
9. The largest chrysanthemum, in terms of the number of flowers on a single plant, has over 500 blooms and was developed in the UK.
10. In terms of the largest single chrysanthemum bloom, or “incurve”, the record goes to a bloom over 11 inches in diameter, grown in the USA.
11. After the flower is cut, it can last for several weeks if properly cared for, making it a popular choice for flower arrangements and bouquets.

The Free Chrysanthemum Illustrations

To download the Chrysanthemum botanical print you want, click on the title above that illustration. A higher-resolution image will open in a new tab on your browser. You can then print and save this image.

All the Chrysanthemum pictures below are in the Public Domain, so you can use them however you wish.

Botanical Prints 1-8

Print 1: Louis Van Houtte Chrysanthemums

Louis Van Houtte (1810-1876) was a celebrated Belgian horticulturist who established one of the most successful horticultural companies in 19th-century Europe.

In 1845, Van Houtte began publishing “Flore des serres et des jardins de l’Europe” (“Flowers of the Greenhouses and Gardens of Europe”), a periodical filled with stunning botanical illustrations and detailed plant descriptions. This Chrysanthemum illustration is from that publication.

Print 2: Chrysanthemum Indicum

Chrysanthemum indicum is a perennial plant native to China, known for its variety of flower colours and its use in traditional medicine, particularly for treating inflammation and respiratory issues.

The print is from “The Botanical Register”, a London-based botanical magazine published from 1815 to 1847. Renowned for its high-quality plant illustrations, it provides valuable resources for botany enthusiasts.

Print 3: 1897 Chrysanthemums

This print is from the book “Favourite Flowers of Garden and Greenhouse” by Edward Step.

Print 4: Indian Chrysanthemum

Painting from “The American flora” 1855.

Print 5. Quilled Indian Chrysanthemum

A botanical print from Edwards Botanical Register, where you’ll find many more Victorian flower prints.

Print 6. White Indian Chrysanthemum

Another floral botanical gem from Edwards Botanical Register

Print 7: Pink Chrysanthemum

Semi-double quilled pink Chrysanthemum from the book “Floral Illustrations of the Seasons”, 1829, by Margaret Roscoe.

Print 8: Verneuil Chrysanthemum

Illustration by Maurice Verneuil from the Art Nouveau Flower book “La plante et ses applications ornementales” 1896.

Chrysanthemums From The Floral Magazine 9-12

The following four prints of Japanese Chrysanthemums are from “The Floral Magazine“.

The Magazine was a 19th-century British periodical dedicated to horticulture. It was first published in 1861 and continued for a few decades. The Magazine was known for its beautiful, detailed colour plates of flowers, with many new species introduced to the British public for the first time. The illustrations were often hand-coloured lithographs created by some of the most talented botanical artists.

Print 9: Japanese Chrysanthemums

“Of the flowers now figured, Sol (fig. 1), the upper figure in the plate, is a bright golden yellow with tolerably broad petals, the petals having an upward tendency. Sultan (fig. 2) is a curiously twisted flower of a light lilac colour, the reverse of petals being darker, and thus giving a shading to the flower“.

Print 10: Large Flowering Chrysanthemums

“The varieties now figured are Her Majesty (fig. 2), a beautiful light-coloured flower of fine dwarf habit, and Lord Palmerston (fig. 1), a dark rose-amaranth, incurved and tipped with silvery white, very distinct and novel in its appearance.”

Print 11: Pompon Chrysanthemums

“Pompons or Lilliputians (derived from the Chusan Daisy) are those which are more especially admired for pot culture, neither requiring the room of the large ones and being more available for bouquets; the former are the favourites with exhibitors, the latter with ladies.“

Print 12: Striped Japanese Chrysanthemum

Chinese Art 13- 16

Paintings and illustrations of chrysanthemums have a long tradition in Chinese culture. They are one of the “Four Gentlemen” (also known as the “Four Noble Ones”), a group of plants that includes the plum blossom, the orchid, the bamboo, and the chrysanthemum. These plants have been frequent subjects in Chinese art and literature and symbolise virtues and qualities admired by scholars and gentlemen.

Print 13: Qing Chrysanthemums 1

A painting of yellow, orange and pink Chrysanthemums from the Palace Museum in the Forbidden City, Beijing.

You’ll find prints of traditional Chinese patterns here.

Print 14: Qing Chrysanthemums 2

Print 15: Red & White Chrysanthemums

Painting by Don Gao and from the Palace Museum collection.

Print 16: Yellow / Golden Chrysanthemum

Seed Catalogue 17-21

Catalogue and seed packet art of Chrysanthemum botanical illustrations. You can find gardening catalogue roses here.

Print 17: Chrysanthemums in a Vase

From a 1989 Buckbee seed catalogue.

Print 18: Chrysanthemum Gems

From “Condensed Catalogue of Special Offers in Choise Plants, Seeds & Fruit”, 1896.

Print 19: Golden Glow

Print 20 Chrysanthemums On Water

A Japanese painting of Chrysanthemums by the artist Ohara Koson.

Print 21: Exotic Birds and Chrysanthemums

Another vintage Japanese painting of Chrysanthemums, this one is by Kono Bairei.

Hopefully, as art lovers, you were captivated by the beauty of these illustrations. Or, as history enthusiasts and nature lovers will find them insightful and inspiring, gardeners and botany hobbyists might appreciate their detailed portrayals of this diverse species.

Other Botanical Illustrations

There are some traditional Japanese Chrysanthemum patterns in the Shin-Bijutsukai, which are free to print.

Don’t forget to check out all the other vintage botanical illustrations featured on the blog that are also in the Public Domain and free to print.

This collection includes other individual flower species, such as;

• Japanese Iris Paintings
• Giant Water Lily Drawings
• Botanical Hibiscus Drawings
• Vintage Magnolia Prints
• Cherry Blossom Drawings

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