This article was prepared with the support of UFL flower delivery. The chrysanthemum is the flower of autumn: in the garden it blooms from late summer until frost, as a cut flower it lasts 2–3 weeks, and in a pot it brightens a balcony until November. For a full bush that survives winter, choose the right group of varieties and do a few simple things on time. Flower forms are covered in detail in our article on types of chrysanthemums; here we focus on growing. More flowers with photos, names and meanings are in our types of flowers guide. Learn more in chrysanthemums in a vase.
| Group | Features | Winter |
|---|---|---|
| Korean (small-flowered) | Bushes 30–100 cm, flowers 2–9 cm, bloom from August–September. Clara Curtis, Mary Stoker, Sheffield Pink. | Overwinter in the ground under mulch in most of Ukraine. |
| Multiflora (cushion mums) | Naturally form a dense 20–50 cm dome covered in small flowers. Branbeach, Branfountain series. | Semi-hardy: safer to lift and store cool. |
| Large-flowered (cut/exhibition) | Blooms 10–25 cm on tall stems, flowering in October–November. Anastasia, Zembla, Tom Pearce. | Not hardy: lift stools and store at 2–6 °C. |
| Annual | Tricolour, crown and corn chrysanthemums — bright ringed daisies blooming from July. | Grown from seed each year. |
Chrysanthemums are short-day, sun-loving plants: they need at least 6 hours of direct sun, otherwise stems stretch and flowering is late. Choose a sheltered spot without standing water. The soil should be loose, fertile and slightly acidic to neutral (pH 6.0–7.0). Lighten heavy clay with sand and compost; lime acidic soil with dolomite.
Chrysanthemum roots are shallow, so water regularly and evenly — once or twice a week, more often in heat — at the base with settled water. Drying out gives woody stems and small flowers; waterlogging causes rot. A mulch of compost or bark keeps moisture in.
Pinch Korean mums for a low, dense bush with hundreds of flowers. When the plant is 15–20 cm tall, remove the tip above the 5th–6th leaf, then repeat on the side shoots. Stop pinching by mid-July, or buds won’t have time to form. Multiflora mums need no pinching — they form a dome by themselves.
Large-flowered varieties are the opposite: keep 1–3 stems and remove all side shoots and extra buds, leaving one central bud per stem. That is how you get 15–20 cm blooms like those at the florist.
After the first frosts and the end of flowering, cut stems back to 10–15 cm. Then it depends on the group:
The most reliable way to keep a variety true. Take cuttings in spring (March–April) from a sprouting stool, or in June from a garden plant.
Divide Korean mums every 3 years in spring when shoots appear: discard the old centre and replant the young outer pieces with roots.
Annual chrysanthemums and experimental Korean hybrids are grown from seed; named varieties don’t come true. Surface-sow indoors in February–March; seedlings appear in 1–2 weeks at 18–20 °C.
Potted mums from shops are often treated with growth retardants, which is why they are so compact. Indoors they bloom for 3–6 weeks if kept bright and cool (15–18 °C) and watered regularly so the root ball never dries out.
After flowering, cut the stems back, keep the pot cool and plant it in the garden in spring — many varieties establish and grow taller and bloom later the following year. Multiflora mums can be kept in a balcony container year after year, overwintered in a cellar.
| Problem | Signs | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Powdery mildew | White coating on leaves | Good air flow, water at the base, sulphur or copper fungicides. |
| Septoria leaf spot | Brown spots with yellow halo, lower leaves blacken | Remove affected leaves, fungicide, don’t overcrowd. |
| Grey mould | Brown, soggy flower heads in wet autumns | Deadhead, fungicide. |
| Aphids, thrips, mites | Curled leaves, silvery patches, webbing | Insecticide or miticide as directed, biological controls. |
| Chrysanthemum eelworm | Brown wedge-shaped patches between veins, spreading upwards | Destroy the plant; don’t replant mums there for 3 years. |
Chrysanthemums are among the longest-lasting cut flowers: with good care they last 2–3 weeks. Their stems are woody, so recut them at an angle with a sharp knife, strip leaves below the waterline and change the water every 2–3 days. They pair well with roses, alstroemeria, lisianthus, eucalyptus and dried flowers. See chrysanthemum bouquets with delivery in Kyiv.
Small-flowered “Korean” chrysanthemums and old local varieties that grow in yards for years with little care are the most reliably hardy. Large-flowered cut varieties and most potted “ball” mums sold in autumn usually don’t survive frost outdoors — overwinter them in a cool cellar instead. When buying plants, check that it’s a garden variety and plant in spring so it can root well before winter.
First at 15–20 cm tall, last no later than mid-July.
Small-flowered Korean varieties overwinter in the ground under mulch. Large-flowered and cushion mums are safer lifted and stored at 2–6 °C.
Too little sun, excess nitrogen in late summer, late pinching or early frosts on late varieties.
Only briefly: in a warm flat it fades quickly. A bright, cool glazed balcony is better.
Author: Maria Svitlovir
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
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