How to Grow Chrysanthemums, a Late-Season Dazzler

November’s flower is the delightful chrysanthemum, an easily grown herbaceous perennial that adds a lovely splash of warmth to the cool autumn garden. These late-season flowers can handle a light touch of frost, and colors often deepen and improve with cold weather!

A member of the large Asteraceae family, close cousins include asters, cosmos, daisies, dahlias, marigolds, sunflowers, and zinnias.

Often referred to as “mums,” they received their Western name from Swedish botanist Karl Linnaeus, who compounded the Greek words for “gold” (chrysos) and “flower” (anthemon) to describe their luminous beauty.

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Native to northeastern Europe and Asia, the colors of wild species are typical of an autumn palette, in hues of red, white, and yellow.

But with over 30 species and innumerable hybrids and cultivars, today’s selections are available in a vast assortment of tertiary shades, including earth tones, mauve, maroon, orange, and pink.

The genus is split into two primary groups, known as “garden hardy” and “exhibition.”

The garden hardy group are the ones that can be overwintered in temperate regions, and this is the group we’re exploring in this article.

Exhibition types are gorgeous, but of a delicate nature. They require a good deal of attention and special environments to produce flowers worthy of garden shows – beautiful, but a lot of work!

Mums the Word: Secrets to Growing Chrysanthemums for Home or Show

But, if you are interested in growing show flowers, study up first with a good reference book. Pat Johnston’s book Mums the Word: Secrets to Growing Chrysanthemums