Chrysanthemums (/krɪˈsænθəməmz/ kriss-AN-thə-məmz), sometimes abbreviated to 'mums' or 'chrysanths', are perennial herbaceous flowering plants in the family Asteraceae that bloom in the autumn. They are native to East Asia and northeastern Europe. Most species originate from East Asia, and the center of diversity is in China. Many thousands of horticultural varieties and cultivars exist.