A purple and yellow flower

Kiku: Spotlight on Tradition

November 1 through 16, 2025

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Nolen Greenhouses

Seasonal wonders, just around the corner

Explore displays of Japanese chrysanthemums, or kiku, that have been expertly trained over the past 11 months into incredible shapes and styles. Chrysanthemum blooms burst with color, trained into traditional forms, including the ozukuri, or “thousand bloom”—a feat of nature and intricate plant cultivation which produces hundreds of chrysanthemum flowers from one stem. Seasonal fall flowers in warm, rich hues complement this must-see spectacle. Join us on November 8, 2025, for a taiko drumming performance celebrating this seasonal favorite display.

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Photo of a Taiko drummer in the Steinhardt maple collection

Taiko Drumming Performances

November 8; Half-hour performances at 12, 1, & 2 p.m.

Take in a live performance of ancient and modern Japanese folk music while celebrating all things kiku. Taiko drumming is rooted in agriculture and is believed to attract good fortune and celebrate life.

Taiko Masala Dojo is a group performing Suwa-style Taiko drumming, which has over 1,000 years of history in Japan. Taiko Masala Dojo is one of the most traditional Taiko drumming groups in the United States, based in Brooklyn, New York. They are led by Master Taiko drummer Hiro Kurashima. Taiko Masala Dojo drummers come from different walks of life to be together, to play well, and share in the joy of both traditional and contemporary Taiko music with everyone.

Get a glimpse into the art of training kiku

  • Carefully trained, architectural-looking plants bloom with pink and yellow flowers

    These spectacular flower forms are the result of an 11-month process!

  • A group of three people in red and white clothing examine hanging plants in a nursery

    All of our kiku, or Japanese chrysanthemums, are grown here at NYBG in our Nolen Greenhouses for Living Collections.

  • A photo of bright red and pink flowers growing in bunches
  • A person in a green hat and shirt clips a potted green plant

    Our horticulturists work year-round to care for these plants as they grow, and begin training them into their future shapes by trimming back extra flowering stems, allowing the plant to pour its energy into select blooms.

  • People explore a long walkway within a greenhouse, housing many trained flowering plants in pink, white, yellow, and red
  • A person in a green shirt and brimmed straw hat works with a vining green plant outdoors

    Many of our kiku designs are carefully woven onto bamboo frames to create displays of flowers that represent mountains, cascading waterfalls, and other fantastical shapes perfected over centuries in Japan.

  • A close-up photo of a bright yellow chrysanthemum flower with many curling petals
  • A green vining plant has been woven into an umbrella shape

    Other kiku designs are contemporary takes on the artform by our horticulturists, like this whimsical parasol.

  • A sunny view of a set of carefully trained flowering plants inside a greenhouse

Presenting Sponsor:

Additional support provided by J.C.C. Fund, Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of New York

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