Mum’s the word!
October brings fall foliage with its dramatic colors, shapes and textures. Fall garden flowers are bursting forth before the impending frost.
Many of these flowers are the last food sources available for pollinators, such as honey bees and native bees. Montauk or Nippon daisies (Nipponanthemum nipponicum), stonecrop (Sedum spp.), goldenrod (Solidago spp.) and asters (Symphyotrichum spp.) offer much-needed pollen for pollinators.
Coneflower (Echinacea spp.) and black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) seeds offer sustenance for birds, while pumpkins and gourds are food for foraging wildlife.
Amid this colorful backdrop of foliage and flowers is the staple of autumn chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum spp.).
Chrysanthemums, or mums, are a member of the Asteraceae family. Their flowers are button- or daisy-like in appearance, with a wide range of colors such as purple, white, burgundy, gold and brown. Mums are an outstanding plant for gardens and containers.
Paired with pumpkins, hay bales, scarecrows, ornamental peppers and corn, mums welcome visitors to our homes and gardens.
There are two varieties of mums: floral and garden (or hardy). Each variety has its place in gardens and decorations.
Floral mums are not hardy and usually cannot survive through the winter. These types of mums typically have broader, thinner leaves and larger flower blossoms compared to hardy mums. Floral mums are best suited for container gardens, displays and hostess gifts. Available in a range of colors and flower shapes, floral mums have long-lasting blooms and color.
Place floral mums in outdoor containers that are in a protected area, such as a porch or covered deck. Display them in individual pots or group them for a stronger effect. Water regularly, and cut off spent blooms and dead foliage; most likely, the plant will not rebloom but may regenerate its stems and leaves. Although not always successful, you can try to overwinter floral mums by cutting them back and keeping them in a dry basement during the winter. Water occasionally and bring outdoors in the spring after the last frost.
Garden-hardy mums are enjoyed like floral mums, with the advantage of thriving when planted directly into the ground. Garden-hardy mums tend to have shorter, thicker leaves and stems, with smaller diameter flowers, as compared to the floral mums. There are new colors and varieties each year, and all hardy varieties do well in the garden.
Plant garden mums before the first frost in a sunny location with rich, well-draining soil. Once the flowers have bloomed, leave them intact or cut them back. Water the mums regularly. The stems and foliage will die back over the winter. In the spring, a crown of new growth will grow from the center of the dead stems, and throughout the summer and fall, the plant will continue to grow and eventually bloom.
When purchasing garden or floral mums, look for healthy plants that have a mix of buds and open flowers. Check for new growth and the presence of insects or signs of disease. If floral mums are purchased in a plastic or paper wrapper, remove the wrapper and set the plant on a dish. Avoid letting the mum sit in standing water. Both varieties of mums should hold their blooms for a few weeks.
Take a sunny afternoon and visit your local garden center. Take in the beauty of the chrysanthemums against the changing leaf colors in the nursery stock. Before we know it, fall will be gone, and winter will be upon us!
Penn State Extension has information about growing and maintaining chrysanthemums at extension.psu.edu/chrysanthemum-care#.
If you have questions about chrysanthemums, call the Master Gardeners of Butler County Garden hotline at 724-287-4761, ext. 7, or email the Master Gardeners at butlermg@psu.edu.
Lisa Marie Bernardo, Ph.D., RN, is a Penn State Master Gardener of Butler County.
