Shungiku Chrysanthemum, Heirloom Seeds — Three Color Daisy, Strong Carrot-Fruit-Floral Flavor, Microgreen to Edible Flower (Glebionis carinata)

Shungiku Chrysanthemum (Glebionis carinata) — also known as Three Color Daisy and Tri Color Daisy — is a versatile edible chrysanthemum grown for microgreens, salad greens, and edible flowers. As a microgreen it produces milky green stems topped with smooth oval cotyledons and deeply serrated true leaves — light green, slightly crunchy, with a strong carrot, fruit, and flowery flavor and a mild but pleasant bitterness. An excellent addition to mixed salad greens. Allowed to mature, plants produce striking tricolor daisy flowers at 80 days. Rich in Vitamins B, C, and K, folic acid, and fiber. 0.01g / 100+ seeds per packet. Non-GMO, open-pollinated, annual.

• Botanical name: Glebionis carinata
• Common names: Three Color Daisy, Tri Color Daisy, Shungiku
• Microgreen appearance: Milky green stem; smooth oval cotyledons; deeply serrated true leaves
• Flavor: Strong carrot, fruit, and flowery; slightly crunchy; mild pleasant bitterness
• Nutrients: Vitamins B, C, and K; folic acid; fiber
• Days to microgreen harvest: 12–30 days
• Days to full maturity: 10–20 days (greens); 80 days (flowers)
• Growth medium: Soil preferred
• Harvest stages: Microgreen, salad green, edible flower
• Packet size: 0.01g / 100+ seeds
• Type: Heirloom, open-pollinated, non-GMO, annual

Three Harvest Stages — Microgreen, Salad Green, Edible Flower

Glebionis carinata offers three completely different harvests from a single sowing:

• Microgreens (12–30 days): The primary use — milky green stems with smooth cotyledons and serrated true leaves; strong carrot-fruit-floral flavor with pleasant bitterness; excellent as a garnish, salad topper, and mixed microgreen blend component
• Salad greens (10–20 days full leaf): Harvest young leaves for fresh salads; the slightly crunchy texture and complex flavor make it an outstanding addition to mixed greens
• Edible flowers (80 days): Allow plants to mature fully for striking tricolor daisy blooms; use as an edible garnish on salads, grain bowls, and finished dishes

How Shungiku Chrysanthemum Differs from Garland Chrysanthemum

This product is Glebionis carinata — the Three Color Daisy — which is a distinct species from the more common Garland Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum coronarium / Glebionis coronaria) sold as Chop Suey Greens and Broad Leaf Edible Chrysanthemum. Both are edible chrysanthemums with similar carrot-floral flavor profiles, but G. carinata is specifically prized as a microgreen variety for its thin serrated true leaves, milky green stem color, and strong flavor concentration at the microgreen stage. The tricolor daisy flowers are also more visually striking than the standard yellow and white garland chrysanthemum blooms.

Nutrition

Shungiku Chrysanthemum microgreens are rich in Vitamins B, C, and K, folic acid, and fiber — a nutritionally dense harvest in a small package. Microgreens are generally more nutrient-concentrated than mature leaves, making this an efficient way to add vitamins and minerals to salads, grain bowls, and finished dishes.

In the Kitchen

• Microgreen garnish: Scatter over ramen, sushi, grain bowls, and finished dishes for strong carrot-floral flavor and visual appeal
• Mixed salad greens: Blend with milder greens to add complexity; the bitterness balances sweet dressings
• Edible flower garnish: Use tricolor daisy blooms on salads, cheese boards, and desserts
• Stir-fry: Add young leaves in the final minute with garlic and soy sauce
• Soups & hotpots: Add whole sprigs briefly to simmering broth; wilts quickly

Growing Notes

For microgreens: sow densely in a shallow tray with soil (soil preferred over hydroponic medium); keep moist; harvest at 12–30 days when cotyledons are fully open or at first true leaf stage. For salad greens: direct sow ¼ inch deep outdoors in spring or fall; thin to 4–6 inches; harvest at 10–20 days. For edible flowers: allow plants to mature to 80 days. Cool-season annual — best in spring and fall; bolts in summer heat.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes this different from regular Shungiku / Chop Suey Greens?

This is Glebionis carinata (Three Color Daisy), a distinct species from the standard Garland Chrysanthemum (Glebionis coronaria) sold as Chop Suey Greens. Both have similar carrot-floral flavor profiles, but G. carinata is specifically selected for microgreen production — its thin serrated true leaves, milky green stem, and strong flavor concentration make it the preferred variety for microgreen trays. The tricolor daisy flowers are also more visually striking.

Is soil required for microgreens?

Soil is preferred for this variety — it produces better germination and more vigorous growth in a quality seed-starting or microgreen soil mix than on hydroponic pads. Use a shallow tray with drainage, fill with 1–1.5 inches of moist soil, sow densely, and keep consistently moist until harvest.

Packed and shipped by Box Garden Seeds LLC — heirloom seeds grown without GMOs, selected for flavor, resilience, and your garden’s success.