Every homecoming, vibrant colors of red and white erupt as thousands of chrysanthemums bloom across the South Oval and OU’s campus.
Brad Dixon, OU assistant director of landscape services, told OU Daily Monday that the work behind the chrysanthemums begins in the summer when the flowers are planted.
“It’s a yearly tradition with the (chrysanthemums),” Dixon said. “(We) get them started in July … to get (the flowers) to hopefully start blooming.”
Dixon is in his first year as assistant director, alongside first-year director of landscape services Steven Clark.
Planting chrysanthemums has been an OU tradition for decades. According to the OU facilities management website, the flowers have been planted on campus for the past 70 years, with documentation going back as far as September 1962.
Chrysanthemums on the South Oval on Oct. 20.
The flowers are planted most prominently in the Pitman Parterre, a collection of flower beds on the south end of the South Oval.
Dixon said due to "abnormally" warm weather in Norman since the chrysanthemums were first planted, the flowers have been late to bloom.
“Normally we are going to have (the flowers) (blooming) right now, which you can't see,” Dixon said. “We're putting some bloom boosters on (the flowers) to try to get them to pop this week.”
Chrysanthemums on the South Oval on Oct. 20.
According to the National Weather Center’s forecast for Norman, cool temperatures and rain are expected for later this week. Dixon said in light of the weather forecast, along with extra measures by landscaping staff, he believes the chrysanthemums will be in full bloom by Saturday’s homecoming football game against the University of Mississippi.
“That's what we're aiming for right now,” Dixon said. “The additions we'll be making right now are some bloom boosters. They're fertilizers that will help all these flowers (grow quickly).”
According to Dixon, the landscaping team is in charge of the chrysanthemum design each year, and they plan to never repeat a design. Dixon said this year’s design is “simple but classic”, and reflects designs similar to those used during former OU President David Boren’s tenure.
“We're just doing these straight lines with the rocker beds (that say) ‘Boomer Sooner’ in each one, …” Dixon said. “It's been multiple colorways in the past, but this year we're doing strictly red and white.”
Dixon is a Norman native with a bachelor’s degree in horticulture, a branch of plant agriculture that deals with garden crops.
“I grew up here, born and raised, so coming back home, it's been nice. It's been kind of just getting the swing of how campus works,” Dixon said.
Assistant Director of Landscaping Brad Dixon discussing the history of chrysanthemums on the South Oval on Oct. 20.
But the celebration doesn’t end when homecoming does.
In addition to planting the chrysanthemums, it is customary for the flowers to be given to the public after homecoming ends, a tradition going back over two decades.
“We will take (the chrysanthemums) out, and we'll have a big open sale,” Dixon said. “You can come grab any of them that you want.”
Dixon said details of the sale are still in the works. The sale can be expected to happen on the South Oval after homecoming, according to Dixon.
As Dixon settles into his new role, he hopes that months' worth of work for one of OU’s most cherished traditions is well-received by students and alums.
“Starting from the time we plan it, we bring every single person up here,” Dixon said. “We plant all the (chrysanthemums). We have a full-time guy that all he does is (the chrysanthemums). It’s a lot of work for us to get going. You're talking about month-long planning to actually make this thing turn into what it's going to be.
“I hope everybody enjoys it.”
This story was edited by Ana Barboza and Natalie Armour. Andrew Higgins and Sophie Hemker copy edited this story.
