While you might not want to find chrysanthemums in a bouquet from a loved one (some types are cheap and used as 'filler' blooms to make bouquets look more substantial), they can be a welcome addition to a plate of food. Not just any chrysanthemum, of course, because not all of them taste good or are even edible. They should be purchased from a vegetable vendor, not the florist, because flowers used for bouquets are often sprayed with pesticides and/or are dyed to intensify (or change) the colour.

The edible garland chrysanthemum, also known as the crown daisy plant, is harvested for its leaves and small flowers. The leaves have a mildly bitter flavour that intensifies as they get older and larger. When buying a garland, choose a bunch with unwilted and evenly green leaves, without any flowers or buds (which would indicate the vegetable is older). The leaves are a popular hotpot vegetable and can be stir-fried with a little garlic and a splash of soy. Whatever cooking method you choose, though, it's important to simmer them only until they're wilted, to retain the vegetable's texture.

Mildly flavoured chrysanthemum flowers can be used whole in salads, but in Chinese cuisine, you'll find the white, yellow or bicoloured petals - taken from the stem - as an accompaniment (along with shredded lime leaf and thinly rolled fried dough) to snake soup, which is a warming winter dish.