Chungcheongnam-do

The flower chrysanthemum, which makes Korean autumn more beautiful, has been with mankind for a long time. The chrysanthemum can be said to boast of a very long history, based on the fact that chrysanthemum pollen was found around the body of a Neanderthal who, as an ancestor of humankind, lived 200 thousand years ago.
There is a close relationship between Chungcheongnam-do and chrysanthemum -- the symbol flower of Chungcheongnam-do is chrysanthemum, and Chungcheongnam-do is the No. 1 province nationwide in terms of production of this flower and income generated from it. Affiliated with the Chungcheongnam-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services, the Yesan Chrysanthemum Experiment Station is the organization that has made Chungcheongnam-do the home of chrysanthemum. Here, approximately 5 new species of chrysanthemum are produced each year. Since 1999 when it started the full-fledged development of new species, the organization has introduced about 50 new species to the world. Last autumn, it released three new species to the market including Whistle, Yes Morning, Yes Together, etc.
It is not so hard to find the chrysanthemums produced in the Yesan Chrysanthemum Experiment Station within Korea. The yellow chrysanthemums that are prominently displayed at the chrysanthemum festivals held in autumn throughout the country are the species Geumbangwul produced here.
The chrysanthemum cultivation technology that the Station boasts of involves controlling light and flowering. The technology of controlling light increases product value by doubling the number of chrysanthemum petals; the technology of controlling flowering can adjust the flowering time according to preference by utilizing plant hormone; thus reducing labor by 35%. Chungcheongnam-do’s chrysanthemum quality has also been recognized in China.
Last October, the province entered its flower arrangements of Borami in the “Chrysanthemum Competition of the 2011 World Horticultural Fair” held in Xi’an, China and won the silver prize. Our pink-colored Borami was deemed captivating in terms of visual effects and fragrance.
“Chungcheongnam-do’s chrysanthemum cultivation technology has advanced day by day in ways that allowed us to go from paying royalties to receiving them. Beginning next year, we will export it to the Netherlands, leading the flower industry and even to China,” Researcher Park Ha Seung said.
Currently in Chungcheongnam-do, 254 farms are producing 42 million chrysanthemums annually. In Chungcheongnam-do, which has emerged as the chrysanthemum complex of Korea, chrysanthemum festivals are being held everywhere in autumn each year. The chrysanthemum festival in Hongseong-gun to promote love for Hongseong, the Seosan chrysanthemum festival in apple fields, the chrysanthemum exhibit held in Hyeonchungsa in Asan City, etc., are typical events.

▲ Chrysanthemum exhibition room on the Expo ground

▲ View of the field trial cultivation of chrysanthemum