These articles were originally published on the web on chrysanthemums.info however that website is defunct at February 2020. The copyright is with the original owners of chrysanthemums.info and the article is reproduced here as it is informative.
Chrysanthemum Classification system
(updated 07/04/2006)
The aim of this page is to describe in simple terms how the chrysanthemum classification and Colour code systems operate.
Colours: there are twenty one colour classifications. There are six main colours: Bronze (b), Pink (p), Purple (pu), Red (r), Yellow (y), Salmon (s) - each of the preceding classifications can be prefixed 'Light' (l) or 'Deep' (d) making eighteen, in addition white, cream and 'other colours' bring up the total of twenty one.
Classification: chrysanthemums are allocated a number to represent their type and natural flowering time, this number is often referred to as their 'section'. Numbers in the range 22-30 are September flowering (Earlies) and numbers in the range 13-20 are October flowering (mid Season). Numbers in the range 1-12 are November Flowering (Lates).
To determine the type, for example 3, 13 and 23 are 'incurved', 4, 14 and 24 are 'reflexed', 5, 15 and 25 are 'intermediate'. The character immediately following the 'type' number normally represents bloom size - 'a' is large, 'b' is medium, 'c' is small, but this is not always the case, see 'Explanatory Notes' below, for full details.
Link to Chrysanthemum Forms page.
Natural Flowering Time |
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| Type | November | October | September |
| Large Exhibition | Section 1 | n/a | n/a |
| Medium Exhibition | Section 2 | n/a | n/a |
| Incurved | Section 3 a b c | Section 13 a b c | Section 23 a b c |
| Reflexed | Section 4 a b c | Section 14 a b c | Section 24 a b c |
| Intermediate | Section 5 a b c | Section 15 a b c | Section 25 a b c |
| Anemone | Section 6 a b c | not applicable | Section 26 a b |
| Singles | Section 7 a b c | Section 17 a b c | Section 27 a b |
| Pompons | Section 8 a b | Section 18 a b | Section 28 a b |
| Sprays (See notes) | Section 9 abcdef | Section 19 abcdef | Section 29 abcdef |
| Spiders, Spoons, Quills | Section 10 a b c | not applicable | not applicable |
| Any other types | Section 11 | Section 20 | Section 30 |
| Charms, Cascades | Section 12 a b | Not applicable | not applicable |
| Large October Flowering | not applicable | Section 16 | not applicable |
| Garden Charms | not applicable | not applicable | Section 22 abcdef |
| Explanatory notes: | |||
| Sprays and Garden Charms have the following sub sections a - anemone b - pompons c - reflexed d - singles e - intermediate f - spiders, spoons, quills (single or double) and any other type Spiders, Spoons Quills |
Pompons come in two types a - True poms (perfect ball of hard florets) b - semi poms (half sphere with flat base) Charms and Cascades (section 12) All other Sections |
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