I'm a bit confused by the phrasing here, because 'chrysanthemum characters' isn't ringing any bells for me as a specific book or novel title. It sounds more like you might be asking about a symbolic motif or a character archetype within a story, rather than a title itself.
If you're referring to a specific novel where chrysanthemums are central—maybe something like John Steinbeck's 'The Chrysanthemums'? That's a short story, not a novel, and the flowers there are deeply symbolic of the main character's confined life and stifled desires. They're not 'characters' per se, but they function almost as a reflection of Elisa Allen herself. The plants represent her fertility and passion, which her environment doesn't allow to fully bloom. The way she tends to them, the care she gives, it all mirrors her own neglected potential. So in that context, the chrysanthemums play the role of a symbolic mirror or a metaphor for the protagonist's inner world.
Without a specific title to go on, it's hard to say more. Maybe you're thinking of a different book altogether?