Autumn's flowering star

A lovely example of an intermediate incurve chrysanthemum.

The striking cultivar 'Rainbow Circus'.

They are the perfect accent for the front door.

Chrysanthemums on display in autumn are difficult to resist.

Keep mums compact by pinching them back in spring.

Fall mums fresh from the growers are absolutely perfect.

An orange spider mum.

Potted mums bring instant colour to fall gardens.

A stunning intermediate incurve type chrysanthemum.

Chrysanthemums need full sun and soil that drains well

Chrysanthemums need full sun and soil that drains well.

A green and white intermediate incurve mum.

Purchase mums when they are just coming into bud.

Plant chrysanthemums in spring for more reliable fall blossoms.

Common Name:  chrysanthemum, mums
Botanical Name:  Chrysanthemum morifolium hybrids and cultivars
Form:    upright round or vase
Family:  Asteraceae
Genus:  Chrysanthemum
Species:  morifolium
Plant Type: herbaceous perennial
Mature Size: 2’ – 4’ x 1’- 2’
Growth: fast
Origin:  Asia
Hardiness Zone: 5 to 9
Foliage:  soft, light green, alternate, simple, lobed, serrated, pubescent
Flowers: September to frost, showy, pompom or daisy type inflorescences in many colours depending on hybrid and cultivar
Seeds: brown achene
Stems:  green, non-woody, herbaceous
Exposure:  full sun, in hot climates protect from afternoon sun
Soil:  well-drained, rots in wet soils
Uses:  border, massing, containers, cut flowers, houseplant, fall interest
Attracts: butterflies, bees
Invasive Tendencies: none
Tolerates/resistant: deer & rabbit
Propagation: herbaceous cuttings
Pruning:  Pinch stems back mid-May to promote compact growth & more blossoms
​Problems:  mildew, mold, aphids, root rot, aster yellows, crown gall, pythium root rot, fusarium wilt, spider mites

Comments: 
Chrysanthemums are beloved for their spectacular profusion of colourful flowers at summer’s end. 

‘Mums’ as they are more commonly called, are herbaceous perennials. They are non-woody and regrow every year. There are over twenty species of mums, however there are hundred varieties and cultivars. Chrysanthemums generally grow from two to four in height.
 
Types of Chrysanthemums: There are 13 classes of mums depending on the type of flower and shape of the petals (florets).  
Irregular Incurve: giant flowers, 6 to 8”, florets curve inwards covering the flower’s centre
Reflex: very large to medium, slight flat with downward curving florets resembling feathers
Regular Incurve: tight balls with inwardly curving florets, 4-6”
Decorative: flat that mature to rounded, 5”
Intermediate Incurve: shorter floret that curl towards the centre, but they don’t cover it, 6”
Pompom: tight round 1 to 4” balls
Single and Semidouble: daisy-like with a single of double row of petals surrounding a single central disk
Anemone: single petals, daisy-like, 4”, tubular florets clustered around a central disk
Spoon: single/daisy, florets flare to a spoon shape at the ends
Quill: long tubular florets with flattened or curved ends and have a spikey appearance
Spider: varying long spiky florets of different lengths
Brush or Thistle: upright, often multicoloured, long, thin twisting florets that go in numerous directions, unique and exotic
Unclassified or Exotic: irregular florets that don’t fit in other categories
 
Cut Flowers: Florists love chrysanthemums because they last up to 10 days in a vase. To ensure their longevity, cut their flowers when they buds start to open. Remove their lower leaves so none are submerged to prevent rotting. Change the water every two days and keep them out of direct sun and away from heaters.
 
Planting: Chrysanthemums need good air circulation, or they will develop mildew on their leaves, stems and flowers. Space them at least 18 inches from other plants. Plant them so their crown, where the roots and stems join, sits at soil level.
 
Chrysanthemums in Planters: Most mums are potbound and need to be repotted in a planter a couple inches wider with drainage holes. Don’t cover the holes with anything as free drainage is critical to prevent rotting. Replant in the new planter that has drainage holes, with fresh soil. Just loosen the roots a bit before firming the soil around the roots then water. Click on Container Growing.
 
Planting: Mum’s do best in rich soil that drains well. Mix in a few inches of compost when planting then follow up with a 3-inch layer of organic mulch around the base of the plant. Place in a full sun location where there is good air circulation. Click on Planting Know-How.
 
Pruning & Winter Care: To keep mums compact, shorter and to produce more flowers, pinch the tips of stems back when they are 3 to 4 inches tall. Continue to pinch back stems until July. For continuous blossoms, remove dead flowers as they appear. Once leaves turn yellow, remove any diseased leaves, stems and flowers but don’t cut the stems off. Instead cover the entire plant with 6” of straw or fall foliage for a winter mulch. Cut off the old stems in spring as new growth appears.
 
Why chrysanthemums don’t last: Cold hardiness varies as it depends on the variety and cultivar. Generally, chrysanthemums are hardy from USDA zones of 5 to 9, but some cultivars and varieties are less likely to survive cold, wet weather.
 
There are many reasons why mums fail. Planting in fall is usually not a good idea as they don’t have the time to establish their roots into their new environment before the onset of winter. Trouble is that people can’t resist them when they show up in September covered in gorgeous flowers.
 
Be aware that those flower packed, pumped-up chrysanthemums purchased at the end of the growing season have just left the grower’s greenhouse. They have been pampered all their life so when grown outside in gardens and planters, they often fail especially when planted in the fall. This means that the best time to purchase and plant mums is in the spring.
 
Another killer of mums and many other perennials is unseasonal warm weather in late winter that is followed by below freezing temperatures. Don’t cut them back in fall, do so in spring when new growth emerges. A winter mulch helps insulate the soil from temperature extremes. Another killer is soggy soil and too much shade. 

Cut spent flowers off just above a leaf to encourage more blossoms and to prevent diseases.

It's easy to propagate mum with herbaceous cuttings. Click on the pic to be redirected.

Remove spent blossom clusters just above a leaf.

Mums will reflower after the deadheading.

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