CHOP SUEY, Hardy Daisies & Detailed Colour

 Chop Suey Green
 (Shungiku)
Easy to grow, interesting and nutritious, shungiku adds variety and unusual flavours to your food. It comes originally from the Mediterranean, parts of Europe and northern Asia, but is now widely grown and naturalised in the cooler highland tropical regions of South-East Asia, China and Japan. Botanically it used to be called Chrysanthemum coronarium but is now Glebionis coronaria.
This edible chrysanthemum is an annual that grows initially from a single, tender, round stalk with finely-cut, green leaves. If not harvested, the plants will grow to 1m and develop daisy-like yellow flowers over a long period. The flowers are golden yellow in the centre and the pale creamy yellow on the outside.
Shungiku grows best in a nutrient- and humus-rich soil in full sun, although sow them in semi-shade if you are planting in the middle of summer. Plants need to be watered regularly. Pick the first tender they are at their best when plants are young. They can become bitter as the plant ages, or in very hot weather. Remove the flower heads from most of the plants to encourage more leaf growth, but allow a couple of plants to flower so the flowers can be picked and used. Shungiku grows well in pots and its a good idea to plant successive small plots so that you’ve always got some on hand