Based on an in-depth analysis of the growth characteristics and picking requirements of Chrysanthemum morifolium, a reciprocating comb-tooth chrysanthemum picking device was designed. The device utilized an offset crank-slider mechanism to drive the comb-tooth array for picking and employed brushes to gather and transport the picked chrysanthemums to a collection box.To optimize the structure and working parameters of the device, force analysis and theoretical calculations were conducted to determine the design and parameters of the picking components.Subsequently, a coupled rigid-flexible model of the chrysanthemum and the picking device was established by using ADAMS software for simulation analysis of the picking process. Furthermore, a quadratic regression orthogonal rotation combination experiment was employed to study the effects of crank speed, working depth, and travel speed on picking rate, damage rate, and impurity rate.Multivariate regression fitting analysis of the experimental data yielded regression equations for each indicator and optimized the device′s working parameters. The test results showed that when the crank speed was 42 r/min, the working depth was 216 mm, and the travel speed was 0.2 m/s, the picking rate can reach 90.06%, the damage rate was 0.59%, and the impurity rate was 7.21%. This reciprocating comb-tooth chrysanthemum picking device demonstrated good passability and stability，effectively improving the picking efficiency of Chrysanthemum morifolium and reducing labor intensity. The research result can provide a significant reference for the mechanization of chrysanthemum picking, addressing the issues of traditional manual picking methods which were inefficient and labor-intensive, thereby contributing to the advancement of chrysanthemum harvesting technology.