Meet the Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum | Chrysanthemum x
How do you know it’s me?:
Garden Mum: I am a small-medium herbaceous perennial. I am typically grown in garden beds or pots.
Florist Mum: I am purchased in the fall, usually in flower. I am kept in a pot and treated like an annual plant for fall decoration.
My alternately-arranged leaves have deep lobes (generally 3-7), and are often hairy and thick in texture.
My dark green leaves can be aromatic.
I have a daisy-like flower that can take many forms.
I am usually found growing in a mound, with my flowers forming the outermost layer at the end of my stems.
How big do I grow?: 2’ - 4’ height, 2’ - 3’ spread.
Sun-seeker or shade-lover: Full sun.
Where I prefer to put my roots: I like well-draining soil with high organic content (such as a potting mix).
Hardiness: Zone 3-9, can overwinter in zone 5 and warmer, though each type of mum is different.
Original home: I am native to Asia. I was cultivated as an herb in China for thousands of years. It wasn’t until the late 1600s that I spread into Europe, and then to the United States about 100 years later.
Colors: Many, many colors are available - white, yellow, purple, and orange are the most popular.
When I bloom: Fall, though southern climates can enjoy my blooms twice a year, both in spring and fall.
Wildlife friends: Spiders like to make a home in my dense forest of leaves.
Flora Fun Facts: I am the recognized birth flower for the month of November.
More Info: When summer begins to wind down and the days become shorter and cooler, Chrysanthemums (also known simply as “mums”) begin to appear on front porches and in gardens everywhere. They are considered a classic element of fall - with flowers that mimic the changing colors of leaves.
Navigating the world of mums can be confusing, as some can be grown as perennials (Garden Mum), while others are treated like annuals for fall decoration (Florist Mum, Belgian Mum). Check the tag or speak with a garden center employee to determine if the mum you’re purchasing is intended to be a perennial plant in your planting zone.
When planted in the spring or summer, the Garden Mum is more likely to establish a root system that will persist through the winter, but when planted in fall it is less likely to survive the winter and is treated as an annual plant.
All of these types of mums are a version or hybrid of the same plant - Chrysanthemum x morifolium.
Chrysanthemum flowers are boiled into a tea in traditional Chinese medicine to provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and calming properties.
A member of the Asteraceae family.
Chrysanthemums are picky about their feet - preferring ample organic matter and having little tolerance for consistently wet soils, yet they do need consistent watering, especially in heat. They respond well to fertilizers only until the flower buds are about to open.
They respond well to pruning and pinching, which can be used to delay blooms and assist in overwintering. The entire plant can be cut back to a few inches off the ground at the end of autumn when the foliage browns. Pinching and pruning is used to maintain a mounded shape. If left alone, the plant will take on a more loose, shrubby form.
Individual plants can also be divided to create more mums.
The mum is valued for its beauty and its variety, with many different flower shapes and colors available. The name “Chrysanthemum” comes from the Greek, meaning “golden flower.” The original plants were yellow in color, but can now be found in nearly any shade or even multi-color.
