50+ Best Chrysanthemum Tattoos and What They Mean (2024 Updated)

Flower tattoos have been popular across many cultures for many years. Elegant yet bold, they look equally as attractive on men and women. Chrysanthemum is one of the most popular flowers, especially in East Asian art and tattooing. These flowers are the symbol of perfection and come in lots of eye-catching colors and shapes.

50+ Best Chrysanthemum Tattoo Design Ideas

If you plan to adorn your body with these stunning flowers, read on to get inspiration on the different styles of Chrysanthemum and the meaning behind the bloom.

Japanese Chrysanthemum Tattoos

The Chrysanthemum is a popular flower in Japanese tattooing. Known as the 16-petal daisy, it is considered a symbol of royalty because it’s linked to the Imperial Family. The flower often depicted with narrow curved petals radiating from the center to the top.

Did you know:

There is a national holiday called Chrysanthemum Day in Japan. It is one of the five sacred ancient festivals. They celebrate this day on the 9th day of the 9th month.

Chrysanthemum and Snake Tattoo

The Chrysanthemum wrapped by a Snake tattoo isn’t just cool, it has meaning. The snake has magical and supernatural powers, protecting the wearing against difficulties and diseases. This tattoo, traditionally, will help encourage wellness in the wearer.

Chrysanthemum and Skull Tattoo

A chrysanthemum and skull tattoo is a dramatic and edgy ink style. Using details and contrasting designs, this style represents life and death combining. Skulls symbolize death, and chrysanthemums represent new life. Together, the design works like a protective amulet.

Chrysanthemum and Dragon Tattoo

If combined with the image of the dragon, the chrysanthemum reinforces the meaning of courage. Because chrysanthemums are associated with Chinese and Japanese mythology, dragons are commonly tattooed entwining this flower.

Chrysanthemum and Bird Tattoo

When the chrysanthemum is tattooed with a bird, it becomes a symbol of freedom. It denotes vitality and energy. Every bird has its own unique meaning, but the owl is one of the best to combine with the bloom. Because owls symbolize wisdom and foresight, they are the ideal combination with a chrysanthemum.

Small Chrysanthemum Tattoos

Chrysanthemum tattoos don’t have to be big and bold. They can be small and delicate, inked using one single needle. This delicate version of the floral trend is popular with first-timers and those who want something easier to hide. Chrysanthemum are a delicate yet recognizable shape, ideal for little tattoos.

American Traditional Chrysanthemum Tattoo

American traditional flower tattoos are some of the most widely recognized pieces of art, thanks to their highly saturated blocks of colors, simple designs, and bold black outlines. Chrysanthemums look stunning in bold saturated shades and bold outlines, making them a good fit for this iconic tattoo style.

Black and Gray Chrysanthemum Tattoo

Using black ink can still create bold and unique designs, often having more dimension than colored variations. Black ink is watered down to create different shades of gray, allowing artists to get a 3D flower that looks realistic.

Color Chrysanthemum Tattoo

Chrysanthemums come in lots of different colors, as there are at least 200 species of the bloom. Every color has its own meaning and tradition. White flowers are associated with pain, red and pink are more associated with love and passions whilst yellow are more romantic.

Yellow Chrysanthemum Tattoo

Yellow chrysanthemums symbolized neglected love or sorrow in Victorian times. They are often tattooed in mourning, to memorialize a lost loved one. In modern United States, due to their bright color, they are more related to joy, celebration and high spirits.

Did you know:

If you have fair skin or blue undertones, avoid toom much yellow in your tattoo as it doesn’t translate well, often appearing more like a scar.

Red Chrysanthemum Tattoo

Red symbolized romantic love and deep passion all over the world. So naturally, red chrysanthemums hold the same sentiments. Red chrysanthemums are often tattooed in celebrating romance. Red is a fantastic tattoo color as it lasts for a long time, staying bold and fresh over the years.

Purple Chrysanthemum Tattoo

Purple chrysanthemums convey are usually used as a well wish, often if someone has been ill. They are thought to be lucky and bring good health onto the wearer. More pink toned purple shades are more connected to romance and long-lasting love.

Blue Chrysanthemum Tattoo

A blue chrysanthemum tattoo that has shades of turquoise with green leaves represents vitality, youth and ambition. Any blue colored tattoos are connected to calmness, tranquility and peace, which makes it ideal for those medicinal flowers.

Chrysanthemum and Oni Mask Tattoo

Because chrysanthemums are so connected to Japanese imagery, they are commonly tattooed bedside traditional oni masks. Oni figures have an ogre-like appearance, often thought to be the cause of bad luck. Oni figures have horns on either side of their head, with red, blue, green or black skins. It’s thought wearing an oni mask as a talisman or tattoo can bring good luck and protection.

Chrysanthemum Sleeve Tattoo

Chrysanthemums can be incorporated into a bigger design to make a unique tattoo. Alternatively, it can be added as a filler between images, ensuring there are no blank spaces. Chinese and Japanese themed sleeves are popular with men and women, although floral sleeves as also growing in popularity.

Illustrative Chrysanthemum Tattoos

Illustrative chrysanthemum tattoos look like you might find in a book illustration or a drawing. This style is often done in black and gray. Tattoo artists may use dot work, lines, cross-hatching, and stippling to add dimension and detail to the floral design.

Realistic Chrysanthemum Tattoos

Chrysanthemums are very attractive, so it’s understandable that you would want to celebrate their beauty with a realistic tattoo. The goal of this tattoo style is that the tattoo looks 3D and like a photo of the bloom.

Black Work Chrysanthemum

Immediately recognizable with its bold plains of black, blackwork tattooing has become one of the coolest trends in the industry. Blackwork uses one color to create bold shapes, any dimension is given by leaving spaces of skin empty.

Did you know:

Blackwork tattoos are an old traditional, stemming back to Polynesia tribal traditions.

Multicolored Chrysanthemum Tattoo

You don’t just have to choose one color for your chrysanthemum tattoo. The shape of the flower is ideal for two or more colors, and they are often found this way in nature. Different pairings of different colors have unique meanings. Adding an extra color on the edge or center of design will give it dimension.

Chrysanthemum Outline Tattoo

Outline designs focus on shape and are usually very illustrative. Outline tattoos are the perfect canvas for flowers with distinctive shapes. The best part about outline tattoos is that they can be the start of a bigger design and can be colored in later if desired. The outline tattoo gives the ultimate flexibility for any future tattoos, easily taking colors, highlights and additional imagery.

Meaning of Chrysanthemum Tattoos

Chrysanthemum tattoos are deeply connected to Japanese tattoo culture, even if the bloom originates from China. In Japanese culture, people believe that the flower represents a man’s greatness and generousness.

Did you know:

The name of chrysanthemums derives from a Greek word Chrysos, which means gold. Anthemon means flowers in Greek, so together chrysanthemum translates as golden flowers.

Chrysanthemum flowers are often associated with happy and joyful occasions. These flowers are used to decorate celebrations like birthdays, weddings, baptisms, and anniversaries. People also gift chrysanthemums as a symbol of love, celebrating positivity, peace, and rebirth.

The chrysanthemum has been long celebrated in Chinese and Japanese cultures for having healing powers. Detoxified varieties of the flower are a staple in Chinese medicine, used to treat dizziness, cholesterol, and headaches. The Chinese believed chrysanthemums symbolize long life and good luck in the home, so many of the tattoos represent this.

The chrysanthemum flower is also associated with a range of different traditions and superstitions. In China, on the ninth day or the night month, they drink chrysanthemum wine for health, peace, and old age.

In some Western countries, especially those of the Christian religion, the meaning of Chrysanthemum is linked to the concept of death. In several European nations, including Belgium, Italy, Austria, and France, chrysanthemum symbolism is connected to death. The only time chrysanthemum flowers are given in these nations is as a token of grief or bereavement. These tattoos are often used to commemorate a lost loved one.

Did you know:

In Anglo-Saxon countries, instead, it is given to congratulate a birth and to celebrate Mother’s Day.

The chrysanthemum also has a powerful meaning in Greek mythology. It is used to protect against evil spirits, often planted in graveyards. It’s thought that picking these graveside flowers can bring bad luck, headaches, and nightmares. Getting a chrysanthemum tattooed on you could keep you protected from bad things.

Chrysanthemum Tattoo: FAQ

Where Should I Get My Chrysanthemum Tattoo?

Chrysanthemum tattoos will look stunning anywhere you place them. Chrysanthemums come with lots of color options and placement options. Arms, back, shoulder and legs are the most common placement for chrysanthemum tattoos, but you can get inked anywhere. The shape of a chrysanthemum makes them ideal to cap a shoulder and it can be adapted to fit the shape of any body part.

If you want a small chrysanthemum tattoo with one single flower, neck, hip, hands and feet are common areas. Small fine line tattoos have never been cooler, with stars like Bella Hadid, Dua Lipa, and Hailey Bieber getting micro inkings. Smaller tattoos are usually minimal in color.

If you want something more detailed or extravagant, it will look better with bigger designs. Thighs, legs, stomach, chest and back are flat and expansive areas that allow artists to create big, detailed floral designs. Japanese tattoo designs favor large full-bodied designs.

How to Prepare for Your Chrysanthemum Tattoo?

To get a good tattoo that stays looking better for longer, here are some tips. Follow these tips to ensure your tattoo is as least painful as possible.

Drink plenty of water. Staying hydrated is incredibly important. Make sure you drink lots of water behind as it will help your body handle the pain and heal quicker afterwards.

Keep your skin moisturized. Don’t apply on the area just before tattooing but stay moisturized in the days leading up to your tattoo. Moisturized skin will handle skin better and heal cleaner.

Sleep well the night before. Being well rested will make you less twitch, helping you get clean and straight lines. Your body will also handle pain and will heal better when rested.

Eat Well. Your body is going to need as much energy as possible, so eat a good healthy meal before your tattoo appointment. This will stop your body tensing up during the pain.

Wear the Right Clothing. Wear clothing that allows easy access for your tattoo artist. If you’re getting an arm tattoo, wear a sleeveless shirt, for leg tattoos wear shorts. Try to wear darker shades as ink can easily stain lighter clothing.

Take something to entertain yourself. Take a fully charged phone, a book or magazine to entertain yourself. If you’re getting hand, wrist or arm tattoos, you may not be able to use these objects. Tattoo artist will encourage you to listen to music or podcasts and distract yourself.

How Do I Care For My New Tattoo?

Your artist will use plastic wrapping to keep your tattoo safe after leaving the studio. This wrap should be removed after a couple of hours. Follow the artist’s advice on what to do once you get home. Many studios well have leaflets or pamphlets with aftercare advice.

When you take the wrap off you may see an excess blood, ink and plasma, but don’t worry, this is completely normal. When you take your wrapping off, peeling it off slowly with clean hands. Once the wrapping is off, gently wash the area with a mild antibacterial soap and lukewarm water. Let the area air dry or pat it dry with a clean paper towel.

Keep the area moisturized using a healing ointment like Aquaphor, two to three times a day. After the first three days you can swap for an unscented, dye-free, lightweight body lotion.

Avoiding picking, scratching or itching your new tattoo. Even when it’s flaky and itchy, never touch it, as this will stop it healing. Also avoid submerging your tattoo in the first two weeks, stay out of pools, hot tubs or any other types of water.

When you go out in the sun, always wear sunscreen on the newly inked area. This is especially important when a tattoo is fresh, but you should always wear sunscreen on your tattoos to stop fading.

Did you know:

If you have any queries, never hesitate to message your artist. A good artist will always be happy to provide information on how to care for your tattoo.

How Do I Find the Right Tattoo Artist?

A big part of how good your chrysanthemum tattoo will look depends on the artist you use. Here are some tips on how to find the right tattoo artist.

• Know your style. Understand the type of tattoo style you want. Artists will have strong and weak styles, with many just specializing in just one style. Check out their website, social media or book to see if they have worked in your preferred style. Sometimes searching your location and a style will lead you to the best artist.
• Get in touch. Once you have found the right artist, get in touch with them. They will generally have their contact details on their social media page. Most artists prefer you use their website contact form or email address instead of a direct message. Don’t be afraid to message lots of different tattooists. Send them images you like and be precises with your request.
• Pop in the shop. If the shop is local to you, pop in and say hi. Most artists will have a book and artwork to show you. If it’s your first tattoo, this can be a good way to calm your nerves.

Did you know:

Avoid asking about prices first, as this can be off-putting to an artist.

• Ask around. Word of mouth can be a great a fantastic way to find the right artist for you. Ask your friends on social media, people will always happily recommend their artist. If you know someone who has a tattoo you really like, asked them who did it.

Did you know:

A good tattoo artist who may not be right for you, or booked up, will usually recommend another tattooist.

• Take your time. Don’t just go to the first artist you find if you don’t feel like it’s the right choice for you. Take your time to do your research. Also, keep in mind, a good artist will be booked up for a few months in advance.

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