Chrysanthemums, sometimes called mums or chrysanths, are flowering plants of the genus Chrysanthemum in the family Asteraceae which includes daisies, sunflowers, and asters. They are native to East Asia and northeastern Europe. Most species originate from East Asia and the center of diversity is in China. They are a beloved fall flower that bring color and life to gardens during the cooler months. Chrysanthemum family includes over 40 species and thousands of cultivars.
The word “chrysanthemum” comes from the Greek words chrysos (gold) and anthemion (flower), referring to the flower’s original golden color. Chrysanthemums have been cultivated in China for over 2,500 years and are considered a symbol of longevity and happiness. In Japan, they are the national flower and are associated with the imperial family.
Mums are easy perennials to add to your garden or grow in pots in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 to 9. Mums bloom in the fall, and there are multiple cultivars to select from with flower colors that include yellow, lavender, pink, purple, red, bronze, orange, and white.
Mums generally grow to a width and height of 3 feet tall if they are pinched regularly during the growing season. Bloom time is determined by day length (12 hours or less!), and buds start forming then. Mums spread quickly if properly planted and spaced.
Chrysanthemums are relatively easy to grow and care for. They prefer full sun and well-drained soil. They can be propagated from seed or cuttings. With a little care, you can enjoy the beauty of chrysanthemums in your garden for many years to come.
List of Chrysanthemums
- Spider/Feathery
- Pompon
- Cushion
- Single
- Quill
- Incurve
- Decorative/Exhibition mums
- Anemone
- Reflex Mums
- Button
- Spoon
- Thistle or Brush
- Korean
- Carousel
- Miniature
- Bolero
- Clara Curtis
- Grandchild
- Matchsticks
- Fantasy/Harmony
- Flamingo Pink
- Apricot
- Empor of China
Description and Pictures
Spider Chrysanthemums
Spider chrysanthemums, also known as Feathery chrysanthemums have long, slender, tubular petals that resemble spider legs. These petals can be straight, curved, or twisted.They still can coil or hook at the ends These dramatic flowers come in a wide range of colors, including red, orange, yellow, pink, white, and purple. Spider mums typically bloom in the late summer to fall. They are hardy in USDA Zones 4-9, and many varieties can survive winters down to Zone 3.
Pompon Chrysanthemums
Pompon mums are characterized by their small, globe-shaped blooms. The petals are tightly packed and form a neat, rounded flower head. The flower heads that resemble pompons, the cheering balls. These chrysanthemums are often bushy and compact, growing to a moderate height. They bloom in late summer or fall and can continue to flower for several weeks with proper care.
Cushion chrysanthemums
Cushion chrysanthemums have a low, mounding growth habit. Unlike traditional chrysanthemums that have long single stems with blooms at the top, cushion chrysanthemums are bushy plants completely covered in blooms, resembling a colorful pincushion. These hardy are good for fall gardens and containers. They come in colors, including red, orange, yellow, pink, white, and purple, and bloom in late summer and fall.
Single Chrysanthemums
Single chrysanthemums have a central disk surrounded by a single layer of ray florets (petals), giving them a simple and elegant daisy-like look. They come in colors, including white, yellow, pink, red, and purple. These plants usually have an upright growth habit and can be 1 to 3 feet tall in height. They are generally hardy in USDA zones 5-9.
Quill Chrysanthemums
Quill chrysanthemums have long, straight, tubular florets with open tips that resemble feather quills. The petals are usually described as being thin and tubular, with a spoon-shaped tip. Quill chrysanthemums come in colors of yellow, and have a tall, mounding growth habit and blooms between late summer through early fall. They are commonly used in floral arrangements and gardens. They are grown in the fall and require well-drained soil and plenty of sunlight to thrive.
Incurve chrysanthemums
Incurve chrysanthemums have a unquick flower form, where the petals curve inward toward the center, creating a full, rounded bloom. They come in colors of white, yellow, pink, red, and purple. They are one of the most widely grown and well-loved types of chrysanthemums. They are usually used in floral displays and competitions. They can be can be classified into different types based on the size of their blooms, such as large regular incurves and intermediate incurves.
Some popular regular incurve chrysanthemum varieties include ‘Gillette’ (white), ‘Sheffield’ (yellow), ‘Pink Floyd’ (pink), and ‘Bronze Jessica’ (bronze).
Decorative chrysanthemums
Decorative chrysanthemums are also known as Exhibition mums, garden mums or florist’s mums. These flowers boast a flattened form with broad petals that incurve at the top and reflex (curve downwards) at the base. These chrysanthemums are bred and grown specifically for display purposes in flower shows and competitions, where they are judged on criteria such as size, form, color, and overall presentation.
Decorative chrysanthemums come in colors of red, yellow, orange, pink, purple, and white. Like most chrysanthemums, Decorative chrysanthemums flower in the fall, from late September to November.
Anemone chrysanthemums
Anemone chrysanthemums are characterized by a unique flower structure which is created by the elongated and pigmented disk florets. The ray florets can be single or double. The central tubular florets resemble the center of an anemone flower. The flowers come be white, yellow, pink, red, and purple in color. They are also relatively easy to grow in the garden, and bloom in late summer and fall. Anemone chrysanthemums are commonly used in breeding of chrysanthemums.
Reflex chrysanthemums
Reflex chrysanthemum flower has a rounded, globe-like appearance. The petals that curve downwards and away from the center of the flower. As the petals reflex or bend back toward the stem it creates a layered and somewhat drooping effect. Reflex chrysanthemums are often used in floral arrangements and garden displays. They thrive in well-drained soil and require plenty of sunlight. Like other chrysanthemums, they are grown in the fall.
Some popular reflex chrysanthemum varieties include Dorridge King, Mayford Perfection Bronze, Cassandra Bronze, and Mayford Perfection Yellow.
Button chrysanthemums
Button chrysanthemums are compact flowers, about 1 to 2 inches in diameter. They come in colors of white, yellow, pink, red, orange and purple. The term “button” refers to the round shape of the flower and the way the petals are tightly packed together, creating a neat and tidy appearance similar to a button. They are ideal for garden borders, mass plantings and as filler flowers in bouquets and floral arrangements. They thrive in well-drained soil with plenty of sunlight and bloom in the fall.
Spoon chrysanthemums
Spoon mums are a type of single chrysanthemum, closely related to daisy mums. Unlike regular chrysanthemums that have flat petals, spoon mums have petals that form a tube-like structure at the base before flaring out into a spatula or spoon-shape at the tip. The blooms can be white, yellow, pink, red, and purple. They bloom in the fall.
Some popular spoon mum varieties include Redwing, Trendy Time, and Yolaporte.
Thistle or Brush chrysanthemums
Thistle chrysanthemums, also known as pom-pom, Brush or Thistle Chrysanthemums have fine, tubular florets that grow in an upright fashion. The arrengement of florets resembles an artist’s paintbrush or a thistle flower. The petals of these flowers are wispy growing up to 2 inches in length. They usually change color as the weather gets colder, turning into deeper shades. They can be in colors opf white, yellow, pink, red and purple. Like other chrysanthemums, brush mums are known for their long bloom time, typically lasting from early fall to late fall.
Korean chrysanthemums
Korean chrysanthemums, also known as Dendranthema x grandiflorum are generally hardy nature. They are often referred to as “Korean mums” because they were first developed in the 1930s by a Connecticut nurseryman who crossed a wild species from Korea with other chrysanthemum varieties. They can be red, yellow, pink, purple or white in color. They also have many different shapes, including single, double, and spoon-shaped blooms.
Korean chrysanthemums are a popular flower in Korea and are often used in traditional Korean ceremonies and festivals. They are also a popular flower for gardens and bouquets. In Korea, chrysanthemums symbolize longevity, happiness, and purity.
Carousel chrysanthemums
Carousel chrysanthemums are a variety of chrysanthemums that are often associated with the Victorian era. These chrysanthemums have double blooms with tightly packed petals that radiate from the center (usually arranged in a layered or spiral pattern). The arrangement create a round and symmetrical appearance similar to the spokes of a carousel. Carousel can be in colors, including shades of white, yellow, pink, red, and purple, with some varieties featuring bi-color or multi-color patterns.
Miniature Chrysanthemums
Miniature chrysanthemums generally have a diminutive size compared to standard chrysanthemum varieties. They range in height from 6 inches to 1 foot. They have daisy-like flowers that can be in colors of yellow, white, pink, purple, lavender, red, and bronze. The petals are layered to create a “pin-wheel” effect, and the blooms measure 2 to 6 inches in diameter. They are popular choices for bouquets and arrangements, as well as for planting in borders or containers.
Bolero Chrysanthemums
The Bolero Chrysanthemum feature profuse sprays of large, daisy-like flowers with exceptionally long flower petals in shades of gold, orange, and yellow.
Clara Curtis Chrysanthemums
The Clara Curtis Chrysanthemum has a long bloom time and profusion of daisy-like flowers. The flowers are a soft pink color with golden yellow centers, and they bloom from late summer to mid-fall. The plant grows to be about 18-24 inches tall.
Grandchild Chrysanthemums
Grandchild Chrysanthemums, also known as “Ojima” or “Kogiku,”(meaning “small chrysanthemum” in Japanese), has a bushy form and abundance of soft, blush-toned blooms. They have a bushy growth habit, with multiple stems emerging from the base. They are often grown in clusters.
Matchsticks Chrysanthemums
The Matchstick Chrysanthemum has showy flowers that feature spoon-shaped golden-yellow petals with fiery red tips, resembling the afterglow of a matchstick. The blooms erupt from multi-branched stems. The plant forms a compact, bushy, upright clump and reaches a height of 2 feet and a width of 3 feet at maturity.
Harmony Chrysanthemums
Harmony Chrysanthemums has compact, mounding form (think a vibrant green bush) dotted with large, daisy-like flowers. These blooms start as a bright yellow, then transform into a blend of creamy yellow and pale pink accents as they mature, all through late summer and lasting well into fall.
Flamingo Pink Chrysanthemums
These flowers have a beautiful coral pink color, sometimes with a hint of orange or red. They grow in a compact, mounded form, reaching 14-24 inches in height. The blooms resemble daisies, with each flower featuring numerous thin petals radiating outwards from a central disc.
Apricot Chrysanthemums
Apricot chrysanthemums are a type of chrysanthemum that has blooms in shades of apricot, peach, and soft pink. Apricot chrysanthemums are relatively easy to grow and care for. They prefer full sun and well-drained soil. These chrysanthemums come in different sizes and shapes, from single blooms to large, double blooms.
Empor of China chrysanthemums
The ‘Emperor of China’ chrysanthemum is a hardy variety. It features sprays of fully-double silvery-pink flowers with quilled petals and a dark mauve center. They bloom in late summer and fall. The foliage is deeply divided and aromatic, and it turns mahogany-red in the fall. This chrysanthemum blooms in late summer and fall, and the flowers are long-lasting.