Color-changing chrysanthemum to make first display on National Day

Workers install flower arrangements in Tian'anmen Square on Sept 18, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

A new chrysanthemum species will be used for the first time to decorate Chang'an Avenue during this year's National Day celebrations.

Xuanqiufenyun, the color-changing chrysanthemum, will have petals changing from light yellow to light pink with yellow during the one-month display, said Wang Zhongxuan, an engineer from Beijing Florascape Co Ltd.

Color changes are common for chrysanthemums, with many flowers changing from light to dark pigments due to an accumulation of anthocyanin, and breeders are using this phenomenon to cultivate new species, Wang said.

He said breeders have selected the new species from more than 40,000 homogeneous species and have cultivated it for four years.

Some 150 pots of the new flowers will be used for two terraces in Dongdan, part of 14 total flower terraces along Chang'an Avenue, the engineer said.

China started to independently cultivate chrysanthemums for National Day decorations in 2014. Last year, China stopped importing chrysanthemums for National Day; all chrysanthemums are now from China.

The decoration work began on Monday, and is expected to be finished by Sept 25.