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Garden Mum
Chrysanthemum x grandiflorum 'Donna'
(kris-AN-the-mum) (gran-dih-FLOR-um)
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Synonym: Chrysanthemum x morifolium
Here are two Chrysanthemums that have been brightening up
the landscape here. You may not realize it but when you go to the nursery or
pick up a couple of mums at the supermarket you are practicing an age-old
tradition dating back centuries. While the mum you plant may look like any
other flower it is actually the product of years of scientific research and
breeding work. ‘Donna’ is a bright yellow member of the Yoder brothers Prophets
Series. It was introduced in 1991 and has shown remarkable staying power by
keeping on the available varieties list that long. Most varieties are changed
out every couple of years.
A new trend for my mums is the actual regrowth of them in
the spring. Most of these mums have always been sold as “hardy” but failed to
come back. The last couple of years, despite harsh winters, they have appeared
in the spring. This is what I have learned about this process. I move the mums
in early spring because they have been planted in our seasonal display areas.
It is an easy job since they don’t really make a root system during the fall. I
usually place them in the perennial border or in the rock garden for the rest
of the year. Since we often plant a lot of mums at once in the fall a selection
process takes place in the spring where we only take the healthiest and
strongest plants for replanting. That way we don’t get overrun with any
particular variety. If the plants warrant it division of the roots is okay at
this time. A full sun area with adequate water is needed for placement. We
usually pinch the mums several times during the season to promote bushiness and
later flowering. A Chrysanthemum left to its own devices can bloom as early as
July 4th depending on the type (early, mid or late season).
This next picture shows an unknown name that has a different
flower type. Chrysanthemums are broken down into 13 different classifications
by flower shape.
