Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium

Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium is a perennial herb of the family Asteraceae native to China, Korea, Japan and the Russian Far East, closely allied to the wild chrysanthemum Chrysanthemum indicum. It grows from a rhizome into erect, branching stems commonly 0.3 to 1.5 metres tall, bearing alternate, pinnately lobed and divided, somewhat lavender-like aromatic leaves that are green above and paler beneath. In autumn the stems carry numerous small flower heads, each roughly one centimetre across, with bright yellow ray florets surrounding a yellow disk, borne in loose flat-topped clusters. The plant has a strong, bitter, aromatic scent. It grows on hillsides, grassy slopes, stream banks, field margins and waste ground, and is variable across its wide range, intergrading with related wild chrysanthemums whose small yellow flower heads are gathered for use.